Incorporating Life
by cgaussie
Summary: Installment Five of the Epic Tales by myeslf and Invader Poe. Due to.. questionable scenes this one has the rating up. But, Poe, Cten and Zim try to survive the slums while Enid and Zib's relationship grows.
1. Chapter 1

Incororating Life  
Epic Five  
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Four Months Later (gotta love time warps!)  
  
Months had passed, and the Patroller was now almost nearing the planet Irk. The galaxy was pretty big, but it seemed his Vehicle could go quicker then a normal Voot Cruiser. To say the least, it hadn't been an easy journey what with the two total opposites that is Poe and Zim in a small compartment, it's a wonder Cten hadn't gone insane with trying to simmer down would-be fights, if the two of them could move at all. All the time Cten had been watching the galaxy whizz past her window, but right now she was asleep. Zim had been up-righted and hovered/sat across from Poe. Even Poe seemed to be worn out and sick of the fights, so he just stared in Zim's direction, albeit given the height difference he stared at the wall above Zim's head.  
  
"I wonder when they feed us.." he muttered deleriously, his stomach letting out a loud snarl.  
  
"Huh... I've gone six _months_ without a scrap of food." Zim muttered more to himself, but by the sound of his voice even he wasn't in for another arguement.  
  
"You have a lot less body to fuel," Poe snorted, then looked around, swaying slightly. "If they don't feed us soon, I'm gonna.." he was too fatigued to finish the sentance, but the way his lip was twitching and showing off his teeth probably made Zim rather uncomfortable to share the tiny space with the bigger, carnivorous, _hungry_ Reject. Zim eeped and managed to scoot away, closer to Cten possibly just cause that was the direction, or for possible protection from Poe. Cten squirmed in her sleep, muttering to herself. Same dream she'd always had since they had been arrested. First she'd be muttering, then start calling out for Enid as if she was lost then wake up, probably more wrecked then she was then when she went down to sleep. Poe turned his head slowly to follow Zim's movement, playing up the predatory aspect and snickering to himself.  
  
"Maybe I'll have myself a fillet of Invader.." he half-slurred, and in this state it was hard to decipher his real mood. But he was probably joking.. probably. The small Invader stared wide-eyed at him, his antennae quivering. He _looked_ like he was on the verge of crying himself, but managed to cough it back and look away from Poe, out the barred window. Poe leaned back against the bulkhead and continued snickering weakly, but even that soon wore him out. He glanced out the window as well, narrowing his dark eyes at a magenta planet in the distance,  
  
"Hey, isn't that.."  
  
"Irk." Zim finished his sentance, the planet coming closer and closer. Cten, hearing the name, her eyes slowly opened. She lifted her head and looked out at the planet, then closed her eyes again.   
  
"Home sweet home," Poe muttered bitterly, glaring at the planet. Everyone was too tired and fatigued to rejoice that their ride was coming to an end, so they went through the orbital check points and into a docking station without event. Eventually, the vehical came to a stop, and the Patroller marched around to the front, still looking as intimidating as ever as he opened the door, letting a blast of fresh air into the confined space.  
  
"Come on, you lot, time to take a shuttle to Judgementia." He glanced at their half-dead state, "Oh, yeah, you will be fed, so your digestive organs are quiet during the trial proceedings." Zim just frowned ahead of him, glaring daggers at whatever was in his sight, at this point a bin. Cten kept her eyes shut, possibly not even listening to what was happening around her. The three were lead aside near the waiting area for shuttles. The Patroller clicked a button on his suit's right hand and muttered something into it, communicating with someone. Soon a servant which had a table strapped to it's head arrived,  
  
"Ookay here you go..." the Patroller took the food tray off the servants head, and it wondered back away.  
  
"All right, stay still." with that he pressed buttons and the trays transformed into something that looked similar to the horse's food bag back on Earth, and strapped the things to Zim, Poe and Cten's head. From the sounds Zim made, he was hungry. Very...and Poe was even hungrier. He managed to eat not only the food in the bag, but had gotten the bag itself in his mouth and was chewing his way through it. The Patroller blinked in slight surprise, then muttered.  
  
"We paid good money for those feed bags, you know.." and reached down to remove Poe's, only to quickly withdraw his claws when the Reject let out a savage snarl. Zim finished his and made a 'yummy' sound. But by the sounds, or lack there of, coming from Cten's seems she wasn't eating at all. Just, hanging there with the bag over her mouth and staring blankly at the ground.  
  
"Can I have hers?" Zim mumbled through his feed bag to the Patroller. Poe glanced up from his voracious chewing of the bag, then noticed Cten.  
  
"Ffen?" he said muffedly, wandering over to her and poking her in the shin, "Foo afwight?" She made a slight grunt sound as he poked her, but remained just there. The Patroller shrugged and took the feed bag off from her, and replaced Zim's with it. Poe started to protest, spitting out his own bag,  
  
"Hey, she's gotta ea--" He didn't get a chance to finish, the Patroller jabbing him in the side with his stick and sending an electrical pulse through the Reject's emaciated frame. He yelped, jerking upright, antennae straightening, and slumped when the rod was pulled away, leaving a smoking wound in his side, painfully remembering that rule about Rejects not being allowed to address Normal irkens, especially ones in positions of authority. Cten looked down at Poe, leaned down and nuzzled the side of his head with hers, talking quietly.  
  
"I'm fine Poe.. don't worry about me.." Poe blinked his eyes open when Cten nuzzled him, smiling weakly at her, and seeming quite comfortable on the ground for the moment. The Patroller then turned his attention elsewhere, talking to someone who was approaching.  
  
"Oh man, not you again... you know how difficult you make my job?" he was talking to a rather tall Irken female, one that had very pale green skin. Her antennae were long and curly, and by the looks of what she wore she was a noble. Everything was all fuzzy right now to Poe, so he wasn't too surprised when he saw his Mother walk up,  
  
"Hi Mommy.." he slurred, and Zim just stared at him aghastly, starting to write Poe's addressing of Noble Xyth off as delusion when he noticed they had the exact same shade of skin, and antennae-length. She smiled at him gently,  
  
"Hello dear." she said, in the same gentle and calm voice. Then she turned her attention to the Patroller who looked confused. "That's the whole idea." she said gently, then looked down at the three Irkens. "And what have these three done?"  
  
"Well... don't think I'm telling you because I want to, your authority makes me. The small male is up for numerous charges, the female is up for the charge of reproducing with a Reject and the Reject, for just being a Reject. And reproducing with someone of her stature, Noble Xyth." The Patroller then looked back at Poe, then Xyth. "Still, Noble Xyth, you?" the Patroller seemed very surprised at this, Xyth then looked back at him.  
  
"Yes, Patroller. This one is one of my smeets, obviously not one any longer. The main reason I'm in my proffession now."  
  
"Oh. Well, you can come to the trail, you know that. You always do." came the Patroller's responce, folding his arms.  
  
"You know it." she replied. Zim looked fairly pale himself now, but tried to concentrate on eating instead of the fact that with a few minor modifications Poe could've been someone in a much higher positition of authority than he. Poe suddenly snapped out if it, blinking in shock and scrambling to his feet as best he could without the use of his arms,  
  
"Mo-I mean, Nobe-I mean," He bit his lip quickly before the Patroller zapped him again, not that he probably would've dared in Xyth's presance.  
  
"Poe, be quiet. I always attened these sort of things, and this time it's very personal." she replied, then looked at the Patroller. "Try to ease up on your zapping, Patroller. Reject or not." the Patroller grumbled, then yanked the food bag off from Zim.  
  
"Come on, the shuttle's ready and waiting now..." he muttered and lead the three towards the shuttle depots, Xyth following after them. Poe was still in a state of mild shock, he'd never actually seen his Mom since he left Irk, and seemed rather in awe of her Tallness, allowing the Patroller to remove his chewed-up feed bag as well. Zim scowled when his own food bag was yanked away, eyeing the tall Nobel every now and again nervously. They lined into the shuttle, with seating lining all 4-walls much like a limo, but a lot less luxurious; Poe sat next to Cten, alternating between looking worried about his mate and looking surprised at his Mother, and Zim tried to seem unobtrusive, for once in his life.  
  
The Patroller stood, watching the three to make sure nothing funny was going to happen. Cten shut her eyes as she sat, probably happy to be sitting on something soft other then the cold metal that was their chamber for the past four months, and sighed happily as she leaned somewhat against Poe, her antenane drooping. Xyth placed her hands on her lap, one antennae jingling since it had a piercing but it was fancier then Poe's.  
  
"So, tell me Poe. What did you do?" Poe put an arm around Cten,  
  
"Me? Well, my highest crime was probably the one he listed, I can't even remember all of my previous crime record-"  
  
"I'd be happy to remind you," the Patroller said gruffly, and Poe shook his head.  
  
"Thank you, but I'm sure we will see it for ourselves." Xyth said, almost somewhat glaring at the Patroller, but turned her gaze back to Poe, smiling gently. "So she's the one you're with now? I must say she is pretty." Cten was probably too tired to say anything in responce, for her eyes remained shut as she leant against Poe. Poe smiled slightly and gave a faint nod.  
  
"She sure is… I mean, uh, well, yeah. I don't think she's been able to get any sleep worrying about Enid… she's our smeet," Poe clarified with a slightly proud grin, then frowned, "She's all alone back home, though, except for -" he suddenly glared dangerously, "Zib had better not have-"  
  
"You leave Zib out of this!" Zim huffed and crossed his arms.  
  
"Something tells me there's more to this then I see." Xyth replied. Cten then opened her eyes slowly.  
  
"Enid.…she's our smeet and now she's alone with Zim's own smeet/clone, named Zib…" she shut her eyes. "But I'm hoping nothing ill will come to them." she murmered quietly.  
  
"I see.. then being taken from the planet was seriously upsetting."  
  
"..yes."  
  
"Zib's more than capable of taking care of himself.." Zim muttered, though it was more to reassure himself than anyone else. Poe glared slightly at Zim, then turned back to his Mother,  
  
"Zib and Enid are about the same age, around the mid-adolecent cycle. So you can see why we're worried.." Poe idly set his chin on Cten's head, as I remember the fact that they're still in restraint thingees.  
  
"I see." she nodded solemly. The shuttle then gave a sharp jolt, causing Zim to yelp and fall off his seat onto the ground with a yelp.  
  
"We're here." the Patroller informed as the door slid open. A few guards were stood outside, with them was a semi-tall Irken covered in dark purple armour, mouth and head guards sheilding his already scared blue eyes. Meet Guado, head of the Protection of Irken Embassy. Also, Cten's Father and both knew it too.  
  
"Guado." Xyth nodded as she stepped out of the Shuttle.  
  
"Noble Xyth." he grunted in responce as the Patroller lead Zim, Poe an Cten out. Poe wandered out of the shuttle, following his Mom and looking up at the imposing black, spiney building that was the Judgementia courthouse. He'd never been nearly this far; this was the spot for all serious Irken crimes to be tried, and any confidence he had he was quickly loosing. His antennae drooped,  
  
"I wonder how they'll execute me.." He mumbled to himself. Zim rubbed his head, running to catch up with them,  
  
"Bah! I'm sure they'll realize what a mistake they've made in apprehending me once they see me in person, surely they got me confused with some other Zim!"  
  
"Zim..." Guado grunted as Zim made his way past him, "I remember you..." Cten glanced at her Father, smirking slightly.  
  
"Daddy really... who could forget him?" Guado made a small shrug.  
  
"Idiots?" The group made their way up to the tall tower. Poe blinked over at Cten and mouthed, 'Daddy?' Odd place to meet the inlaws. Cten nodded slowly at Poe in responce to his query of her Father.  
  
"I take, your pressence means the Tallest are to be here personally?" Xyth asked, glancing at Guado.  
  
"Your assumption is correct, Noble Xyth. They claimed after the years of red tape they'd want to see this. Especially Zim's." Poe marched in procession with the rest of them, and Zim snorted at all of them.  
  
"A trial in front of the Tallest themselves… I'm sure Dad'd be real proud of me now." Poe kept muttering to himself, of course, assuming his Father was nowhere around. But perhaps he shall be soon! Dun dun dun! Anyway. They entered the chamber, coated with the same purple pink that the rest of the Irken empire was, the Three Control Brains sitting on pedestels, the Tallest and a few other important Irkens in one of the balconies. Guado held the door open until all were in, and closed it.  
  
"Oh look, they've arrived." Red said, was he was sipping a big glass of juice.  
  
"Yeah man, could you have taken any longer? We been here for a week wanting the best seats!" Purple claimed, pointing at the Patroller.  
  
"B-but my Tallest-"  
  
"You get a pummeling!!" Purple squeals happily, and hammers came from nowhere and knocked the Patroller unconcious.  
  
"Okay, anyway." Red stood up, swinging his arms open. One, smacking Purple in the face and the other releasing the juice, splattering a few Irkens. "Let the trail begin!" The whole chamer erupted into cheers, some hats were thrown and some confetti.  
  
"THE FIRST TRIAL SHALL BE OF.." The brains seemed to debate among themselves, "Oh, hm, let's take the short female with the blue eyes.. BRING FORWARD MAID CTEN!"   
  
"Man, she must have taken up swiming or something. Lookit her complexion!" Purple could be heard saying as a guard, not Guado, lead her forward until she was on the platform in front of the Control Brains.  
  
"MAID CTEN, YOU'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF REPRODUCING WITH A REJECT!" The booming voice said, well, accusingly, "HOW DO YOU PLEAD?"  
  
"And please tell the truth, we really don't like replaying memories for that sort of crime.." Cten looked up at the control brains, then over at the Tallest. She shut her eyes, looking at the ground.  
  
"Guilty." she said.  
  
"She was such a nice Maid too.." Red said as he picked at a nacho. Zim did indeed look flabberghast, staring silently on the sidelines. Poe winced, somehow feeling responsible for the whole thing, while the brains conferred among themselves.  
  
"Well, that makes things easy! It's so nice when they confess."  
  
"How should we punish her?"  
  
"Oh, I know!" The brain coughed somehow and said in an imposing voice, "MAID CTEN, IF YOU ENJOY THE COMPANY OF REJECTS SO.. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD BE ONE YOURSELF!" Cten gave a small shrug, looking up at the Brains.  
  
"Whatever you say, Control Brains, and I shall do as you say." she nodded at them, her antennae lowering against her head.  
  
"Aw man, this one's not putting up a struggle. I like struggles." Purple said, chewing on a curly fry.  
  
"Very well then. Take her out back and give her one of those grey tanktop thingees!" One of the brains ordered, then resumed its imposing tone, "NEXT TO TRIAL SHALL BE... EXHILE ZIM!" They used his actual title, which made Zim perk,  
  
"Hey, see? They must mean that other Zim, for I am INVAD-" he was prodded forward to the brains by a guard, and stumbled forward. "There has to be some mista-" another prod, accompanied by a zap this time.  
  
"ZIM, YOU HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF.. Holy slark!" The brain looked gobsmacked at the list of crimes.  
  
"THAT'S UM..... A LOT!" said another brain as Cten was roughly dragged from the room by a guard, a door slamming shut behind her as she left.  
  
"Heck... what can we do with him? We _could_ Reject him... we _could_ delete his pack... so many choices!"  
  
"Delete! Delete!" Red called out from his chair, then tossed a rolled up piece of paper at Zim's head and it bounced off. "Hah, ten points."  
  
"Cheater." Zim winced when paper was thrown at him, trying to sink into the ground somehow.  
  
"Hm, hm, hm.. Well, let's replay some of his memories, shall we?" So we are treated to a montage of Zim destruction, Zim insulting, Zim cackling, et cetera..  
  
"Well, Zim, you've, er, certainly accomplished a lot."  
  
"To delete such a… productive Irken would be such a waste!"  
  
"And you seem to have an even.." The brain snickered, "stronger opinion of Rejects than.. oh.. what'shername!"  
  
"..what?" Zim paled until he was nearly white,  
  
"You know what. You have been officially.. REJECTED!"  
  
"Oh, this is so much cleaner than execution!"  
  
"Boring though."  
  
"But we don't have to wait for the janitors to wipe the organ goop off of our containers!"  
  
"Awwwww!" Red folded his arms, pouting as his lower jaw jutted out. "I wanted to see Zim as a smooshy little squish on the floor!"  
  
"Hehe!" Purple giggled like a mental Skool Girl as Zim, who was still screaming obsenities and such was hauled away, same way Cten was and thrown out the chamber into that.. other place. Xyth sighed sadly, shaking her head, then looked to Poe.  
  
"AND NOW! THIRD AND FINAL TRAIL FOR THIS HOUR, COME FORWARD, REJECT POE!" Poe sighed and stepped forward, folding his antennae back. He couldn't even smirk at Zim's ironic fate, sensing his own, well, impending doom. He stepped forward in front of the brains, looking up at them with a steady look.  
  
"Well, Poe, it seems you've done the following.." The brain rattled off a list of crimes, starting with Reproducing with a Normal Irken of Stature, and progressing to a list of minor crimes, like stealing and damage of property and such.  
  
"…so, the only possible solution to this list of atrocities is total REJE- oh wait a minute."  
  
"EXECUTION!" one of the brains cheered happily.  
  
"YAAAYY!!! Smooshy!" Red clapped his hands together happily, pulling a sheilded helmet down over his head. Purple opened up a small umberella, holding it over his head. Xyth looked aghast, her antennae almost straightening out.  
  
"What?!" she screeched, yeah, screached! Poe winced at the word,  
  
"Oh, fine, execution!" One of the other brains chided Xyth,  
  
"That's the normal punishment for all Rejects who commit such a serious crime, you know that! And you don't have the authority to overturn it!" it taunted.  
  
"EXECUTIONER, please.. eh.. COME OUT HERE!" A door slowly rolled upwards in one of the walls revealing an Irken in a flowing, black robe, with menacing looking boots, two bladed weapons hanging at his side,  
  
"Oh goody, there hasn't been a good execution in hours!--hey, wait a minute, you're not an executioner!"  
  
"No, I'm not. But I have orders to relocate this.. dangerous Reject for a special execution." Kantos replied, and Poe stared at the doorway in, well, more shock.  
  
"Ohh..... dah, fine... is it too horrible for us to see?"  
  
"Yes, yes it is." Kantos nodded in responce, walking up to Poe and roughly grabbing him by his antennae.  
  
"Ooo! Nifty! Well, bring us back something bloody, we like that."  
  
"I do!" Purple cried out waving his umberella.  
  
"As you wish, my Tallets." Kantos replied. "Noble Xyth shall accompany to read the Reject's final readings, then it shall be done." Xyth blinked, looking at the Brains.  
  
"Ah fine fine, we still want a bloody shirt or something." Kantos nodded and hauled Poe from the room. Poe yelped when he was grabbed roughly, starting to think he really was going to be executed by his own Father, when the doorway closed behind the odd family, now including Xyth. The room remained quiet for a while.  
  
"...who wants pizza?" came the voice of a Brain,  
  
"Me!" Red screeched.  
  
"That went better than expected." Kantos released Poe and looked down at the beaten form of the real executioner, then back at Poe, "I suppose you want us to save your other friends too, though?"  
  
"One isn't a friend Kantos, one is his mate." Xyth replied, picking up a piece of grey material from the beaten up excecutioner which was semi-soaked in the Irken's blood.  
  
"I see." Kantos arched his eyeridges, while Poe wishing he could massage the roots of his antennae,  
  
"Well.. it'd be nice.." He was still dazed from all of the happenings,  
  
"Very well then, where are they-"  
  
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I AM ZIM!!" a distant voice shrieked, and Poe winced, nodding in the direction..  
  
"..that way, apparently." Kantos grabbed his son's antennae again,  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"I'm not the one that told you to get those piercings," Kantos replied simply, almost, dare we say, chiding as he dragged Poe off again, having to keep up the appearance of having a prisoner. Xyth shook her head and tossed the material through the door after opening it slightly, cheering heard from within. She then hurried off after her son and previous mate. The three went past a building, which in a bin now held the old clothes Zim and Cten used to wear - a bangle shining on the ground obviously belonging to Cten. Xyth paused and picked it up, reading the small inscription as she still followed.  
  
"I DO NOT BELONG IN GREY!! I HATE GREY!" Zim, barechested, was being forcibly restrained by about 4 different gaurds, while another attempted to force the utilitarian grey tanktop onto the squirming Irken. He froze when he saw Poe, "OH, YOU AWFUL REJECT, YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS, I KNOW IT!" He screamed, slathering and pulling at his organic restraints, and Poe stared at him dully.  
  
"So how do you like the taste of irony, Zim?"  
  
"DOOKIE!" Zim hissed his half-sensical reply as the tanktop was finally forced over his head and ID pak, and his arms. Poe shook his head and wandered over to where Cten was,  
  
"..Cten?" She was already in her new 'uniform' and sat on the ground, looking at her black boots. A big change since she was so used to her blue ones, she lifted her gaze to Poe. Her eyes lit up and she got up, hugging him around the middle.  
  
"Poe!! I thought they'd kill you and.. and..!" obviously all of this happening had brought her toll onto her and she burst into tears whole holding onto him. "I don't want to be here anymore! I want my baby back and to go back home to my base and my Beka and you and even Zim and Zib and..." she just trailed off now. Kantos rolled his eyes, since this small outburst reminded him of how Xyth had reacted when Poe had been hauled away only minutes after being born. Poe smiled and rest his head overtop of her's, the best hug he could manage, considering.  
  
"Ssh," He glanced over at the guards, who were busy trying to defend themselves from Zim's wild clawings and thrashings, "We'll be home soon enough," he whispered into her antennae, "I'm sure my parents have a plan.."  
  
"Enough of this." Kantos produced a few restraint rings from where they'd been stored to change the prisoner's uniforms, strode up to Zim, casting a shadow on the much smaller Invader, who suddenly stilled in the imposing War General's presence. The guards dropped him, and he tossed a ring at Zim, and the other at Cten.  
  
"These Rejects are to be relocated to the slums." The look on Cten's face clearly read she was afraid now, not knowing who Poe's Father was - or looked like for that matter as the guard grabbed her away fom Poe, and clasped the ring around her waist, restraining her arms again.  
  
"No, no no..." she closed her eyes, tears still rolling down her face.  
  
"Are you to relocate them, sir?" asked a guard, holding Zim above the ground as the small used to be-Invader began kicking again.  
  
"Yes, before I take this one off for execution." He yanked on one of Poe's long antennae, which he'd still been able to hold on to from his place by Zim. "Drop him, he'll follow. They both will." The look in the General's black eyes said that there was simply no other (_healthy_) option. Poe frowned when he saw Cten's tears, but shook his head and put on a stoic look, as though he were ready to march off and face death. He started back out the door. Soon enough, the group were by themselves walking along the darkened streets. The sun was setting in the distance as Kantos continued to lead the three short Irkens along. Xyth hurried up, now walking besides him. She talked to him quietly,  
  
"I'm surprised you're here at all, you know." she said. Kantos grunted noncommitantly.  
  
"I have shore leave. I get bored." He stopped at a worn, but still electrified parameter, putting in an access code into the control panel, the gate that was the threshold to the slums. He looked down at the other Irkens; Poe had a distant look in his eye, obviously experiencing a deluge of memory, while Zim looked like he might bolt at any moment.  
  
"This is as far as we can take you. Some Rejects Xyth has befriended in her travels have prepared a stolen Voot Crusier to facilitate you back to Earth in the south end of Sector 6, in an abandoned tentament next to a run down Pak warehouse."  
  
"....really?!" Zim looked surprised at this, so surprised he probably would have done a dance if he could.  
  
"We've risked a lot for you kids, and I want you to go back to your... smeets." Xyth smiled slightly, then leant down and unclasped Poe's ring finally. "And to be free." Poe stretched his arms, sore and slightly atrophied, and turned to undo Cten's ring. He turned back to his parents,  
  
"Thanks, Mom." He glanced over at Kantos, "Da.. er, General." He lowered his head respectfully, and Kantos nodded gruffly. "I'm going to tell Enid all about her grandparents when we get back." He said softly, then glanced over at Zim and relucantly undid his ring as well. Zim grunted and pulled at his grey shirt, tongue sticking out.  
  
"Disgusting colour..."  
  
"Oh and Cten, I found this." Xyth handed her the bracelet. Cten smiled, taking it.  
  
"Thank you." she said, putting it on over her now bare wrist.  
  
"I guess this is goodbye." Poe glanced at the ground again, pretty certain he wouldn't see his parents again. It hand't been the most heart-warming family reunion, but still. "You're always free to contact the base through the comm channels.." he offered, and Kantos just shook his head to himself, turning away. Xyth looked at Kantos, then at Poe.  
  
"I'll be calling you my dear, don't you worry about that. I'm wanting to see my granddaughter. No matter how far away she is."  
  
"Alright, Mom." Poe grinned slightly, though his grin fell somewhat when he saw Kantos start walking away. Kantos stopped for a moment, looking back at Xyth,  
  
"Come on, Xyth. You've had to say goodbye to him before. You can do it again." Woo, cue flash back!  
  
Xyth and Kantos are waiting by their incubation chamber, having their own, personal one, being more important Irkens, with a few representatives from the governement to judge the worthiness of the child. The egg started to hatch, a little clawed hand sticking out, and shortly after, two feet bursting out of the shell from the bottom. After some squirming and rolling around, the shell broke in half, revealing none other than baby Poe; long antennae still curled up by the sides of his head. Before Xyth even got a good look at him, one of the Judges opened the glass covering of the chamber, picking up the hatchling and taking a few measurements, namely of antennae. Hatchling Poe blinked his large eyes open, and some of the Judges winced at the contrast of the black eyes against the then nearly white hatchling. They conferred among themselves, a worried look on Xyth's face, while Kantos, though he had his arm around his mate, looked generally displeased. They were about to set Poe back down when he bit the judges finger, revealing both his sharp teeth _and_ carnivorous habits; the Judge yelped and scowled, and immediately yanked Poe away from the nest, writing the word 'REJECT' in Irken on his clip board. Kantos turns his head away, looking down right disgusted that this has been the result of his DNA. Xyth though, looks horrified. She reaches out to grab Poe from them, since this is a flash back we can't really hear what's happening but by the look of her she's crying out to let him go, but one Judge turns to her and just shake his head sternly. Baby Poe looks around, now afraid of the yelling that's going on and he looks up at Xyth. He then holds his arms out to her, wanting to be held by her. Kantos, now seen enough takes Xyth by the arm and starts leading her away, despite the fact she's trying to get to her child. Poe is still reaching to her, as the door slams shut plunging the entire room into darkness. The darkness, then dissolves into Poe's black eyes. He looks at Kantos blankly, then at Xyth. She smiles at him, then throws her arms around him, hugging him for possibly the first _and_ last time.  
  
"You've always been with me, no matter what they said.." she whispered. Poe blinked at the sudden hug, then smiled and hugged his Mother back.  
  
"Hey, I knew you never gave me up willingly." He said softly, while Kantos looked slightly impatient.  
  
"Am I going to have to drag you away again?"  
  
"No." Xyth replied, still holding onto Poe tightly. She then kissed him on the forehead, letting him go slowly. "Goodbye Poe, contact me when you arrive home."  
  
"I will," he promised, "And I'll be sure to introduce Enid to you." Little did he know he'd probably have some great grand children for Xyth to see by the time he got back, hoo boy. He let go of his Mom for a moment, while Kantos waited for her to catch up.  Xyth smiled at him, waved then walked towards Kantos. She stopped and looked back at him as Zim had already walked through the gates to the slums, Cten waiting on the other side for Poe. She grinned somewhat, then walked past Kantos, saying as she went.  
  
"That's all I ever wanted."  
  
"Hm." Was all Kantos had to say as he walked in stride with her, and they went off to do their  respective duties. Poe slowly turned back to the gate, reguarding the dark streets and taking a deep, unsteady breath, then stepping through.  
  
"Okay, okay, I'm good." He closed his eyes for a moment, his antennae limp at the sides of his head. When he opened them again, there was a look of resolve, as though he'd been switching mindsets. "Alright, both of you, behind me."  
  
"What? Behind _you_? An infer-" Zim was cut off by Cten, as she poked at his grey shirt.  
  
"_Ahem_?" she asked. Zim blinked, then scowled.  
  
"FINE! But don't think I'll make a habit of doing what you say, _Poe_." he spat Poe's name and sulkily got behind him.  
  
"Zim. If you want any chance of surving out here at all.. when I say 'Jump', you'd better ask how high. Got it?" He turned back toward Zim, straightening his back and antennae, using all the typical 'taller' postuerings. Zim sighed, agitated and stood to his full height, which wasn't much but we all know that. Poor little fella even tried to make his antennae bigger. Cten rolled her eyes, but just stood how she normally did. Shoulders back, chest forward... ah the life of a Maid. Poe curled his fists and shook his head.  
  
"If you think you can survive on your own, you're free to try. I'm not going to let you endanger me or my mate with your arrogence." He turned back forward, narrowing his eyes, "It's been years since I've been here, all the territories have probably changed.. I'll need you two to be on the look out for graffiti. If you see ANYTHING, even if it just looks like a little scribble.. tell me."  
  
"Fine fine..." Zim mumbled, not liking taking orders from an Irken who was once below him. But now they were the same stance, Poe was in charge height-wise. Zim's antennae's then lowered, and he looked up at the sky. "Oh Zib... I hope you're getting on better then I am." he thought to himself, then hurried up to follow after the two who had started walking already.  
  
[To be continued]


	2. Chapter 2

Incororating Life  
Epic Five  
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Zib, as it turns, was not. Another brown out had fried the microwave - they'd stooped to salvaging human equipment, old, thrown _out_ human equipment nonetheless - and Zib coughed, clearing the air of smoke.  
  
"En," He wheezed, "I don't know how much more of this me OR Beka can take." Beka could be seen, sat to the side. Cables were strung from her head into the houses' walls and clearly she was tired from generating power when they needed it. Enid was sat on the table, reading through the instructions for the microwave. She groaned, lowering it.  
  
"I know what you mean..." she muttered. Zib sat down on the table beside her, frowning at Beka,  
  
"Go ahead and shut it off, Beka, you need a break." He unfolded one of his pod legs, the tip lighting up and acting like a high-tech candle. "Someone needs a job.. and I mean a real job, not an after-school dealy." He ran his claws through his ragged hair scythes, which was now kinked in two places. Beka sighed heavily, shutting off.  
  
"So what can we do Zib? We can't do any more then we're doing now, with Skool and all that..." Enid put the book down, her antennae lowering to the sides of her head.  
  
"Well, we're of age.." he said quietly, "Look.. I know you're involved in school sports and stuff, so I.." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a form to request official removal from school and a pen. He'd already filled most of it out, and just had to forge a signature.  
  
"What?! But Zib! You're.. you're so smart and I'm just in sports, sports are nothing compared to how smart you are in your classes!" Enid's eyes widened at the form and all the information he'd filled in. Zib shook his head firmly, having the stubborness of both his parents.  
  
"Bah, the Skool's taught me all it probably can, I'm already in the most advanced classes they have.. Besides, they need you on teams and stuff."  
  
"I'm not gonna change your mind am I?" she frowned slightly, Beka now on 'sleep mode' in the corner.  
  
"Hey, this way, we'll both be happy." He grinned at her slightly, turning his seat to face her somewhat, "Besides, I _also_ got this.." He pulled another form out of his coat, this one being a job application form, "They're hiring assistants at Gra.. er, Professor Membrane's lab."  
  
"You're going to get a job there? Uh, what about your… I mean Dib?" she took the form from him reading it over, one antennae quirking as she read the details of the job.  
  
"Dad.. Dib's not interested in real science," he snorted, "He prefers to work by himself or with his.. Swollen eyeball group. The job doesn't require any kind of degree, either.. I'm sure I'll probably be doing menial things like fetching equipment at first, but I'm sure I could rise through the ranks!"  
  
"Well, if that's what you want... heck, being paid that I thought you'd need a degree or something." she'd spotted the pay, which was only per _week_. "But... I wanna see you happy so... go ahead." she smiled slightly, handing the paper back.  
  
"Well, if I _do_… I think Beka has enough energy to power the replicator, at least, I could make a fake one." He looked at the paper, folding it back into his coat, "I still have to get my stuff from skool, though, and turn in the form. Hopefully they won't request a parent-teacher meeting.."  
  
"If they do, you know we've got those cloaking things in our ID Paks and I could go pretending to be your Mom or something..." she gave a small shrug, leaning on the table with her elbow.  
  
"True.. good thing you wouldn't have to act like my real Mom." He sniggered at that mental image, before his antennae drooped, "I wonder what happened to him.." Enid gave a small shrug, her antennea drooping again.  
  
"I dunno..." she said quietly, scratching her forehead with a claw.  
  
"The computer would probably be able to go into the databanks and find the results of the trail, but.." He glanced up at the wires covering the ceiling, which were dull and lifeless, and had been since they'd moved in.  
  
"I don't think I want to know." Enid said getting up from her seat and walking from the room. Zib frowned and got up quickly, following after her and putting his hand on her upper arm,  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"...I miss them, Zib. I know you miss your Mom and what you've gone through with your Dad is probably making my situation seem miniscule but..." she turned her head to him, "I miss Mom and Daddy so much." Zib frowned and put his hand on her opposite shoulder, effectively putting his arm around her,  
  
"I know, but you were a lot... closer to your parents." He squeezed her slightly, "Not all hope is lost.. I mean, they could be on their way back now. Our parents are smart, they'd be able to think of some way out of it.."  
  
"Not if.. not if any of them were deleted." she mumbled possibly more to herself, slowly putting her arms around him and resting her head against his. Zib leaned against her and hugged his other arm around her front.  
  
"You have to be optimistic, En." It was easy for him to say, though, he had the optimism and stubborness of both his parents. He looked around for something to say, then tried in a quiet voice, "At least we're not alone, huh?"  
  
"I'd hate to think of how things would have been without you." she replied quietly, glancing at the ground as her antennae now hung very limply by her sides, showing how long they really were now. "I would have given up a long time ago."  
  
"Hey, if it weren't for you, I'd just be stuck with a bunch of fighting adult Irkens as my only company all my life." He smiled warmly and lifted up the antennae hanging on the side near his hand with this knuckle. Enid shivered a bit as her antennae were lifted, then smiled at him warmly.  
  
"We could never have allowed that now, could we?" she asked.  
  
"'Course not." He grinned slightly and ran his finger down her antennae in an affectionate gesture, probably not realizing how sensitive they were. Well they were _really_ sensitive, giving the length and width of them. She sighed happily as she held onto him, one the antennae curling up slightly in reaction to his finger.  
  
"Nope." she said very quietly now. Zib chuckled softly and nuzzled her temple,  
  
"I mean, without you, who'd be my bestest friend?" He said in a soft, but playful tone, probably oblivious to the fact the way they were snuggled up would indicate a bit more than friendship.  
  
"I dunno... Gir?" she smirked slightly, running one hand up over the nape of his neck and toying with his black hair.  
  
"Nah, I could only be his best friend if I was a pig, or a taco." He arched his shoulders slightly, the hair on the back of his neck bristling, and lead her over to the couch so they could sit.  
  
"I guess, but you do mean a lot you know." Enid said as she sat on the couch, the hand on his neck drawing up more and now stroked the base of his antennae hair/scythes. He curled the tip of her antennae around his finger and closed his eyes, his own strange antennae rather sensitive.  
  
"Not as much as you mean to me," he mumbled quietly, leaning against her.  
  
"I'd go far enough to say, Zib," she paused as her antennae wrapped back around his finger gently, "That I love you." with that she traced her own finger from base, upwards of his antennae. Zib blinked over at her, shivering when she ran her claw through the hair sprouting off his antennae,  
  
"Really? I mean.." He smiled, somewhat goofily, but warm and sweet, "I love you too, Enid." she smiled back warmly at him, then since they've been hugging she leans her head over, almost kissing him now, then really leans in and kisses him softly on the lips. Zib closes his eyes again and kisses her back, hugging her tightly, one arm reaching up to resume stroking of her antennae, taking it between his index claw and his thumb. He soon felt one of his own antennae/scythes being stroked sensually by Enid's hand, as she held the kiss with him, the other arm wrapped around his middle. He shifted his weight around and leaned against her a bit more firmly, twining her antennae around his finger and running it through his fingers.  
  
Enid smiled against the kiss, shifting her weight and leaned back somewhat as she tilted her head to the side to accomodate Zib more, her hand now somewhat massaging his antennae. Zib made a muffled sound and ran his finger over the area of her antennae Enid had pierced, which was probably even more sensitive because of it, and wrapped his other arm around her lower waist. With her highly sensitive spot now being just been brushed against she made a muffled groany sound against his lips, her antennae shivering as he did. Zib blinked at the sound, before squeezing his eyes shut and perking his antennae, tracing the area around her peircing lightly with his claw tip. The kiss, from Enid's side seemed to get somewhat wild when Zib then felt her tongue slide through into his mouth, tracing it along his own. And, as luck would have it Gir then walked into the room carrying a battery operated small TV screen and sat down on the ground, watching it intently. A shiver ran up Zib's spine, and he started to open his mouth to return the, er, tonguing, when the loud sounds from the small TV interrupted him. He blinked one eye open and glared down at Gir, making a muffled *AHEM* sound. Gir turned his head towards Zib and Enid, and seemed completely oblivious to the fact the two were locking lips and playing with each other's antennae.  
  
"Wha?" he asked innocently. Enid opened one eye too, glancing at the robot in an annoyed way. Zib reluctantly freed his mouth from Enid,  
  
"Do you MIND?" He grumbled, "Can't you watch that somewhere else?" He jerked his head towards the kitchen impatiently.  
  
"I like the lounge." Gir said quietly in an almost spooky voice, looking back at the TV intently. Enid rolled her eyes, leaning her head up against Zib's.  
  
"Y'know, in a way I'm glad it ended there... if you know what I mean." she said quietly to him. Zib let out a quiet sigh,  
  
"I guess so," he mumbled, looking a little.. antsy, still glaring at Gir out of the corner of his eye. He leaned his cheek against her head and nestled against her, though. She smiled, and stroked the other side of his face with her hand and shut her eyes.  
  
"Little annoying robots aside Zib, that was great." He looked down at her and grinned,  
  
"Yeah, it was.. We'll have to do it again sometime," He snickered quietly,  
  
"Very." she replied.  
  
_One Month Later, still on Earth_  
  
The Membrane house hold was at it's usual way of life. Professor working more then nine hours a day, Dib working on his investigations and Gaz playing her games. It was early one Saturday morning when Professor had slept in. Hey working on what he works on takes a lot out of you, and seeing how he had twenty minutes to spare, he went down to the kitchen to have some coffee. There, Dib was eating his breakfast.  
  
"Good morning son!" he chimed as he poured his coffee into a mug.  
  
"Morning," Dib muttered out of habit more than anything, with a mouthfull of cereal. He looked up at Dad from over the rim of his glasses, "You sure seem chipper this morning."  
  
"Oh ho I have good reason to be!" Membrane claimed, sitting down while sipping his coffee er, somehow. "We recently hired a young man to help around my laboratories in town, and he's been a great investment. He must have come from the same place your foregin friend came from son, he's green. Well, yellow green anyway." Dib, who'd been taking another bite of his cereal, did a spit-take,  
  
"Yellow green kid? What were his.. other features?" Dib raised an eyebrow, having a pretty good idea of who it was, but he had to be sure.   
  
"Hrmmm... now I think about it, he looks like you. Big head, glasses, hair style... heh, coicincidences eh?" he sipped his coffee again, finishing it off as Gaz entered the room and began making herself some toast. Dib suddenly looked very disgruntled, grumbling to himself,  
  
"That annoying little spawn, I told him to get out of my life!" He took his anger out on his cereal, munching it loudly, "I should have captured him when I had the chance.."  
  
"Let me guess, more aliens?" Membrane got up and poured him some more coffee.  
  
"Worse." Gaz muttered, "This one's part him part alien."  
  
"I'm sure daughter, I'm sure."  
  
"He's no relation of mine!" Dib said quickly, never having told Dad about the _incident_ that produced Zib and not really wanting to, "He was an.. experiment of Zim's. And he's probably trying to follow in Zim's footsteps! Or… just annoy me."  Membrane stopped sipping his coffee, looking at Dib.  
  
"He came here a while back," Gaz walked past Membrane to get some juice from the fridge as the toaster made bread into toast. "But he refused him help at all. Then he fed him some balony that sounded like something you'd say." with that Gaz went back to her toast, took it and left the room.  
  
"There's no reason for me to help him! He's just a clone spawn thingee!" Dib shouted in his defence at Gaz's back, then pushed his cereal away, loosing his appetite. His Father shook his head, sighing.  
  
"My poor dysfunctional son... your Mother said you'd take after me weather you'd like it or not."  
  
"After you? No way!" He looked somewhat disturbed, "For one, I study paranormal science, not mundane science.." He started listing off these irrelevant reasons on his fingers.  
  
"Yet from what Gaz said you don't pay any heed to this spawn thingie." Membrane pointed out, sipping his coffee. "And I know I haven't been the ideal Father of the mellenium, for I study the great world of science for the greater good and don't bother my time with hunting big foots that you say, used our belt sander."  
  
"But he's not my responsibility! He's just one of Zim's freaky experiments! And I've saved the planet multiple times from Zim!" He glared at his Dad, "Not that anyone believes me.."  
  
"Yes yes I know all about your said 'Victories for Earth'.." Membrane sighed, then looked at Dib. "Son, did I ever tell you what exactly happened to your Mother?"  
  
"..no, not that I recall. I'd always assumed she'd been abducted by aliens or something.."   
  
"No son. She's down in the lab." he pointed downwards, "And always have been."  
  
"She is?!" Dib's eyes widened at this revelation, "Wait, how come I've never seen her?" He held his chin thoughtfully, "You mean, she's a ghost?"  
  
"No son, she isn't a ghost." Membrane shook his head, before sipping more coffee. "She was unfortunete enough to have been subjected to a project we were both working on and was transformed into a kinda blobbish thing..." he made a hand gesture with 'wobbly' fingers, "But she told me not to tell you two until I thought you'd be ready."  
  
"A blobbish thing? How is she still alive?" He scowled in confusion. Membrane shrugged,  
  
"That, I'm not sure of. But she has access to all what happens in this house, she has screens all around her containment." he then waved to the house plant which hung from the middle of the ceiling. "Hi hon'." Dib looked kind of freaked out now,  
  
"She's been watching us all this time?!" He turned his head towards the plant with a look of slight paranoia. "Uh.. Hi, Mom…"  
  
"Pretty much. But not what happens in bathrooms and such, she knows better then that." Membrane put his cup into the sink, then turned back to Dib. "So son, now you know do you want to see her?"  
  
"Eh.. I suppose so.." He sat up, straightening out his coat, still eyeing the plant with a quirked eyebrow.  
  
"Follow me then." Membrane walked from the room, Gaz had been sat in the lounge all this time and heard it all and when Dib had followed, she'd trailed behind the two.  
  
"Wondered why there was a camera in the mirror.." she muttered. Dib followed his Father downstairs, looking around for this supposed blob. Of course, he expected some horrible thing from a science fiction movie, as he reflected on how it was kinda cool to have a blob for a Mom. They came to a door which had an access code to enter. Membrane pressed in the didgets, and the door slid open. Inside was quite a room. The walls were made of television screens, some of them shown specific rooms of the house. Others, shown rooms from Membrane's labs in town so on and so forth. In the middle of the room was a tall glass container similar to the one Zim had previously had nightmares about being locked in. Inside it, hovering in the goop around it was a dark purple blob. Kinda the size of a human head, but had no other features like eyes, mouth or anything.  
  
"..cool." Gaz said after gazing around the room.  
  
"..that's her?" Dib made a slight face, not quite what he had imagined. He looked around for something to say, "Um.. Nice to finally see you, Mom. I.. think." He said at the blob, not sure which part was the, er, face.  
  
"Nice to finally speak face to face with you, Dib." a voice replied which sounded more computerized then human. Membrane looked down at Dib and Gaz,  
  
"The voice generator reads her brain waves, thus giving her a voice. Seeing how this is Mother children time, I've got to get to work anyway." he gave a nod to the blob, then walked from the room. Dib waved offhandedly at his Dad, still studying the blob curiously.  
  
"So.. I'm guessing you know all about us."  
  
"As much as I can." came the responce.  
  
"Do ya know everything?" Gaz raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Hmm... enough as I need to know Gaz."  
  
"I'm guessing you saw what happened a few months ago, then." Dib grumbled, stuffing his hands in his trench coat pockets.  
  
"Had very good view of it dear." a cable from the container pointed to a screen which shown the front door very plainly, inside and out. The newspaper had arrived by now, and lay on the grass. Dib muttered to himself and glared at the floor.  
  
"He has no business asking me for lodging anyway.."  
  
"Well, in my honest opinion Dib I think he did, sort of. He's still young, and from what I hear not used to being without that Zim boy." the blob wobbled slightly, moving upwards in it's container. "But still, you were just there to cause the accident so what right have I to say. I just ended up pregnant twice by mistake."  
  
"I was just trying to stop Zim's plot to clone himself an army of... Zimmies, and it got some of my DNA. So it's all _his_ fault," He said in his defense.  
  
"Stop pointing fingers Dib." Gaz grunted, while watching one of the screens which shown a TV show.  
  
"Dib, I've heard you say over and over again numerous times that you never wanted to become like your Father, and you have good reason not to. But for a moment, step out of yourself and look at yourself. You slowly are becoming your Father, as Gaz noted when you said the same thing your Father fed me, when he'd pay me no attention while I was carrying you." the blob slid back down to the base of the container. "Oh to have ankles that swell again..."  
  
"But.." Dib scowled and trailed off, begrudgingly realizing she had a point. "Well, what am I suppose to do? I mean, I'm not much more than a teenager myself."  
  
"Better to be a friend then a Father." his Mom replied simply, one cable shooting up and fixing his hair which because of Dib not being a morning person, was still messy.  
  
"But.. bah." He looked down at the ground, remembering it had been kind of nice to have someone to talk to when he took Zib out on those hunting expeditions when they were both younger. "He seems to be doing fine on his own.. though I wonder how he's working and going to school at the same time.."  
  
"He seems to be not going to Skool at all." the cable pointed to a screen which shown the labs of Membrane across town, "I've seen him arrive there every day this week at eight, and leave every night at five."  
  
"He is?" Dib did some quick calculation in his head, "Well, I guess he would be non-technically old enough.. I guess he dropped out." A look of slight guilt crossed his face.  
  
"Well, getting money to give power to a house is a lot. Obviously having to live alone with that Enid girl, one of them needed a good job." the cable returned to it's normal stance. "He seems to have your determination to look after himself." Dib scratched the back of his head.  
  
"I guess so.." He sighed. "So what do I do, lend him money? I don't have any myself.." He hated to admit it, but his 'son' was being more productive than he was,  probably something to do with having both Dib and Zim's stubbornness.  
  
"He seems to be fine, money wise dear. I say, you try to fix the big canyon that's between you first."  
  
"Yeah before you find an alien ray gun shot at your head." Gaz said as she turned back towards the two.  
  
"He wouldn't shoot me, I'm his.. oh, wait." He remembered that he disowned Zib, then shook his head. "Fine, fine, but I'm not going to have anything to do with him if he's anything like his.. Mom."  
  
"Oh look, there he is." the cable then pointed to the main doors of Professor Membrane's labs in town, and sure enough, Zib was at the front door. Zib sighed and walked into the building, wearing a white, buttoned-up lab coat instead of his usual Dib-like trench coat. He perked up when someone off-screen called his name, and he ran off to, well, assist.  
  
"What, you think I should go talk to him?" Dib asked, while watching the montior.  
  
"Totally up to you, dear." his Mother replied gently.  
  
"Got any video games in here Mom?" Gaz glanced around, the cable pointed to a screen with a joy stick, and Gaz went off to play whatever her Mom had entertained herself with.  
  
"Oh alright." Dib sighed in resignation, effectively guilt-tripped, and headed out of the lab. Soon enough, the secretaries voice called out to the lab,  
  
"There's someone here to see.. Zib?" She looked slightly confused, Dib usually being there for his Dad and all. Zib blinked and set down the test tube he was holding, wandering over to the door and assuming it was Enid, greeting as he opened the door,  
  
"Hi En--oh." He was instead faced with the non-smiley on Dib's shirt, and he glared up at the human. "What do you want?"  
  
"I deserve that kind of greeting." Dib said, looking down at Zib. He put his hands into his pockets, tilting his head slightly. "So how are things?" Zib's mood didn't change as he pushed the door open in full, thinking Dib was up to something.  
  
"..fine." He said, "Your dad was more interested in helping me than you were," he huffed in an accusory tone.  
  
"I know, I found out today. My Mom kinda talked some sense into me." he sighed, kinda hurt at the tone of voice Zib was giving him, but still didn't blame him.  
  
"Your Mom? I thought she was abducted by aliens or something.." He looked slightly confused.  
  
"So did I. Turns out she's a blob living in in Dad's lab and watches everything."  
  
"That's.." He scrunched his face up slightly, ".._freaky_." He shook his head and pushed up his glasses, "So now what, have you come to grovel for forgiveness?"  
  
"Groveling isn't me, Zib. I just.. want to say I'm sorry for being a jerk before and if I could, I'd change it." he shrugged slightly, "I guess I'm becoming more like my Dad then I ever wanted, and yeah..."  
  
"Oh." He scowled, his Zimmy side disappointed. "Well don't bother, I'm fine without you!" He folded his arms and turned away from Dib, glaring at the wall, "You were never there for me befoe, so I see no reason for you to start _now_."  
  
"You're right, I'm not ready to be a Father to anyone right now. I just wanted you to know that if you ever did need me, though I highly doubt it since you're more productive then me, that I'm here." Dib pushed his glasses back onto his nose since they'd been slipping. "That's all." Zib's rigid shoulders slumped slightly, and he frowned, staring at the ground before glancing at his Dad out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Really?" He suddenly got defensive again, "This isn't just some plot to capture me, is it?" Dib shook his head slowly.  
  
"I'm not up to anything, for probably once in my life. Remember when I'd take you out hunting big foot with me, and we'd talk all about paranormal stuff?" he smiled slightly, running his free hand through his scythe. "I liked things like that, we weren't Father and son then, we were like, friends. And I've never had any before." Zib nodded slightly, his standoffishness slowly fading,  
  
"Yeah... None of the guys here want anything to do with paranormal stuff. They all think it's a bunch of hooey." He snorted somehow, "I've been tempted to take off my contacts and show them just how much hooey it is!"  
  
"Do that and you'll end up being an experiment here." Dib smirked, "And I'm sure you and Enid don't want that."  
  
"I know," He stuffed his hands in his pockets, jangling some tools in there, "Stupid humans." He glared back at the lab, "Enid's not really interested in that stuff either.. so.. yeah.. I've kinda missed that." He looked up at Dib slightly, just over his glasses.  
  
"...so what time do you get off today?" he raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Um.." He looked down at his watch, "Around 5 or so.." He was working full time, afterall, and then some.  
  
"Well how about when you got some free time we just... do stuff like we used to?" Dib asked, sounding somewhat hopeful. The chance to spend time with Zib again, and be around someone who is into the things he likes wasn't something he'd done in ages.  
  
"Eh.. Sure, I'd just have to stop at home to tell Enid where I was going." He still wasn't sure what to think about his Dad suddenly taking an interest in his life again. "So.. um, I'll see you then, Dib?"  
  
"Sure." Dib gave him a nod, "Looking forward to it."  
  
[To be continued]


	3. Chapter 3

Incororating Life  
Epic Five  
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 3_  
  
Meanwhile, back on Planet Irk in the Slums…_  
  
Things were going far less smoothly. The Trio was hungry, tired, and frazzled, and the way Zim was shaking, muttering to himself and staring blankly ahead probably was not a good thing. Poe sighed, leaning against a wall and slumping, running his hand through his antennae and getting them out of his face, "I don't get how things could've changed so much, or maybe my memory's just getting bad.."  
  
"Poe we've been wandering around for hours now, and I keep telling you. Ask someone for directions!" Cten folded her arms, while glancing about the destroyed buildings and pretty deserted area. Zim shuddered some more, jumping at every small sound that could be heard. "I mean, what's the harm of asking someone where the building is?"  
  
"You don't understand, you can't just walk up and talk to people around here.. Most are in a gang, antisocial or insane," Poe's eyes wandered over to Zim, thinking they might have one of the latter in their midst, "And would be just as apt to shoot us and steal our paks to sell them for scrap as to help us." He looked up and down the street, and spotted a shoddy, neon sign over one of the buildings, half of the letters faded out as it flickered.  
  
"So what do we do then?" she frowned, glancing back the way they came where a few forms of Irkens could be seen watching them. Poe bristled, glancing over his shoulder at the moving shadows in the distance,  
  
"I suggest we get into that bar," he hissed quietly, pulling on Cten's hand. Zim made no move to follow, just standing there muttering about being an Invader, as the shadows encroached on them.  
  
"Zim, come on unless you want to be a party favor!" Cten hissed back as Poe lead her to the bar. Zim looked back at the forms, and not wanting personal harm on his body, followed quickly still muttering like crazy. Poe lead them into the bar, a bell jangling as they entered. THe place was rife with smoke from various illegal substances, the smell of alchohol permiating the air, while Rejects of all forms sat on the worn-out furniture, most brandishing weapons of some sort. There were also a few scantily clad female Irkens wandering around, either as waitresses or prostitutes, it was hard to tell. Poe scanned the crowd for someone who looked a bit more friendly, which was like trying to pick the nicest crocodile out of a river. Zim glared at a few of the Irkens, baring his teeth trying to be brave as best he could. Which was hard, seeing as how he was the shortest in the room by far. Some male Irkens made wolf whistles at the three, possibly aimed at Cten or Zim - who could tell. A waitress watched them as she handed a drink to one beefy looking Reject, before going back to her work. The beefy Reject puffed on something that resembled a cigarette, before downing his drink not even bothering to take the cigarette out. In a more darkened part of the bar, a figure could barely be seen due to the lack of light but the Irken obviously was someone of high order seeing how the chair it was sat on, was proabably the best in the joint. Poe motioned to his shorter companions to get behind him, while he drew himself up, taking a deep breath. His antennae twitched towards the darkened part of the bar, and he tilted his head, stepping towards it,  
  
"Something about that one is familiar.." The one in the shadows head lifted, then a bug in the room landed on the dimly lit bulb causing it to sway. Light shon down on the Irken, showing the figure. It's eyes were red, with obvious claw marks over the two rendering the Irken blind. This was obvious, for one eye pointed in one direction, the other in another direction. Long, very limp grey antennae hung by it's side and it held what used to be a metal robot's arm, now his walking stick. He tilted his head, one antennae slithering like a snake.  
  
"..Poe?" came the harsh and raspy voice which got the attention of not only Poe, but everyone else in the bar. Poe raised his antennae, then lowered them,  
  
"Vivor." He said simply, without a trace of either compassion or hostility. A few of the members of the bar looked back and forth, looking impressed. Poe glanced back at his, er, charges, "You two stay here, I'm going to see if he knows where the warehouse is." And with that he wandered off towards the old, blind Irken, while Zim looked around the room warily. A tallish Irken in brightly coloured, clashing clothes took notice when Poe abandoned them, and rose out of his seat, striding towards them, pulling something like a cigar out of his needle-like teeth with his knuckles.  
  
"Well, well, what have we here.." He said, appraising them with his dingy yellow eyes. Zim glared at him,  
  
"I, am Irken Invader Zim. And I don't have the time to-" he was silence when Cten slapped a hand over his mouth.  
  
"Zim, his name is Zim. I'm Cten." she didn't especially like the look of this Irken, or the others around him but no use being rude or anything in a place like this. Vivor made a grunting sound as he sensed Poe stand in front of him and smiled slightly.  
  
"I was wonderin, when I'd hear your voice again Poe..." wheezed the old Irken, then gently tapped Poe's boots with his walking stick. "Hmm... you've been places I see." he said. How he could tell this by just tapping Poe's shoes is unknown, always had been able to tell stuff like that.  
  
"Heh, sure you are, kid." The tall Irken lifted up his feathered hat and grinned down at them lecherously, "You two ain't been around here long, I can tell. You can call me Snab," he held out his claws, the hand holding the cigar and getting ash all over the place, and eyed Cten, "Now, what's a pretty thing like you doing in a Reject uniform?" Poe seemed unaware of the situation by the door,  
  
"Yeah," he responded, "And I'd like to go back to them. I need to know if you know anything about an operation to get a Voot Cruiser.. It was organized by some friends of Xyth."  
  
"Ah Xyth... your Mother's a diamond I'll tell you that.." Vivor nodded slowly, then sighed heavily. "The Voot Cruiser you're after, is not far from here. They had to move, for Patrollers were getting too close for comfort." He pointed his greying finger in one direction, "It's that way... you go past the old Nursery and keep going for five minutes. There, you'll see the biggest building in the area. Tell them I sent you, 'n you'll be fine." he closed his eyes, showing the serverity of the slash over his eyes had caused, and not a pretty sight either. Cten looked uncomfortable, but shook his hand either way after releasing Zim - him now quiet.  
  
"Snab.. Uh, I was rejected for reproducing with one..." she said quietly, Zim glaring up at Snab at dare we say, as if he were protecting her?Snab's eyeridges arched at that, and his grin curled into a lecherous smirk, "I see.." He ignored Zim for now, holding Cten's hand and reaching over for her antennae, running it between his knuckles - and needless to say, he had, er, an experienced touch, "Let me guess, mister Tall and Dark over there? Or this mighty Invader?" He snickered. Poe nodded slightly, "Thanks.." He said reluctantly, knowing Vivor usually wanted an exchange for help. Vivor just smiled at Poe, showing how many teeth he had left - not many dare say.  
  
"So, you have anything in exchange for my assistance? Or is this your repayment?" obviously Poe had helped him out long ago, no other reason why Poe would have came to him anyway. Cten gave a surprised gasp, not being able to really control how her body worked - especially in this situation. But she knew this was wrong, and tried to get her hand out of his and talking between gasps,  
  
"P-Poe's he's my.. my mate." she managed to say, Zim now glaring at Snab.  
  
"Release her fiend!" he snapped, pointing at Snab.  
  
"Bah, fine." Snab replaced the cigar in his mouth and let go of Cten, apparently backing off for the moment and letting her stumble away, until he reached over and took *Zim's* antennae instead, smirking, "I can understand how you might be jealous." Poe shook his head slowly.  
  
"Not on my person, no, but if you needed some sort of job or.." He flinched, "A hit.." Poe didn't seem to think he'd get off that easily, despite having done something a while ago, and was afraid to walk away lest he find himself staring at a laser belonging to one of Vivor's goons.  
  
"No no... you helped me, with the Patrollers. I think this is enough of a return on my part." Vivor replied, then one antennae quirked. "Your friends are in a situation with Snab, and I suggest before your mate ends up pregnant to him you do something about it." Zim yelped in shock, and tried to pull away.  
  
"Relase me!! How dare you touch an Invader there!!" he screeched loudly, Cten holding onto her antennae afraid that anyone else was about to 'mollest' her in such a way. Poe blinked and turned, having not heard or seen the commotion through the crowd,  
  
"Oh, great.." He started back through the tables, while Snab just snickered and took a drag off his cigar, twining Zim's antennae around his finger so pulling away only resulted in pain,  
  
"I love it when they resist.." he murmured.  
  
"Yargh!! Don't make me hurt you!!" Zim screamed, trying once again to free his antennae from Snab. Cten glanced at the other Rejects, some who were laughing at the situation.  
  
"Sounds kinky," Snag sniggered, unphased as his other hand took the other antennae, while Poe managed to get through the crowd,  
  
"What's going on here?!" He noticed Cten's state and walked over to her, before blinking at the pimp-looking Irken who was giving Zim a rather sensual antennae-stroking, debating internally about whether to defend the former Invader or not. Zim managed to grab onto Snab's hands and clawed at them with his claws.  
  
"I SAID LET ME GO!!" Cten made a small sound, and already guessed what Poe was thinking, and just said,  
  
"Go help him." quietly. Snab seemed throughly amused, Zim's claws hardly making a dent on his calloused hands, and he picked him up *by* the antenna(ow!),  
  
"Fiesty, I like that." Poe shook his head and strode over to Snab, who was a few inches taller than the goth,  
  
"You heard him, let him go," Poe said firmly.  
  
"What? Don't tell me he's your mate too," Snab snorted, but made no move to set Zim down, despite his thrashings. By now Zim was wailing in pain, but just dug his claws into Snab's claws and hefted his weight up so his antennae wouldn't snap through his weight. Across the room, Vivor narrowed an eye slightly and got to his feet.  
  
"Let him _go_," Poe growled slightly and stood on his tip-toes to be even with the taller Reject, his protective streak kicking in even if it was just Zim, and Snab glared at the other male,  
  
"You want him, come get him!" Snab lifted the much smaller Irken high over his head, and _just_ out of Poe's reach.  
  
"Snab." Vivor seemed to move quicker then we thought, and was already stood besides Cten showing his height. Well over that of Snab, he possibly had been a noble, if he weren't classified as a Reject. Possibly that was why he had such connections. "Put the insane thing down now, son." his harsh voice said. Snab flinched when he heard Vivor's voice, suddenly becoming very compliant and setting Zim down, backing away and waving his hands,  
  
"Alright, alright, sheesh, I was just havin' some fun." Poe looked down at Zim and raised an eyelid.  
  
"You alright?"  
  
"Ugh... though my antennae are suffering from sevre pain.... no..." Zim whimpered slightly, trying to straighten his antennae out. Vivor made a grunting sound, then tapped Zim in the head with his 'cane'.  
  
"Oh you're all right... you'd have more done to ya in this place."  
  
"Ow." Zim just said when the cane met his head.  
  
"We should go before anything else happens." Poe started towards the door, opening it for Zim and Cten, "Thanks, Vivor." He nodded to the old Reject, "Bye."   
  
"G'bye Poe." Vivor turned to walk back to his seat, Rejects getting out of his way as he did. Poe waited until Zim and Cten were outside, before swiftly decking Snab in the jaw and following them out the door. Back outside, Zim tried to pull his antennae out of the dents they were in. Cten kept rubbing her antennae, looking pretty disgusted and ashamed. Poe scrubbed the blood off of the spikes on his knuckles with his coat,  
  
"So uh, who was that...?" she asked, while looking at the floor. "Vivor.. I knew him when I was a kid. He's fairly important among the local circles, but I distracted some Patrollers once, so he could get away."  
  
"Miserable _beasts_." Zim muttered, either about Rejects or Patrollers who could tell?  
  
"I see." she said quickly, "So did you find out where it is?" Poe nodded,  
  
"They had to relocate it since Patrollers got wind of it. Good news is, it isn't too far away.." He looked around to get oriented, then started off in the right direction, "If we hurry, we might be able to make it before nightfall.."  
  
"I'd hate to see this place at night..." Cten muttered glancing over her shoulder as she followed Poe. Zim still kept muttering to himself about miserable stinky beasts. So they started off again. Unfortunately, the Nursery was further away than Poe had thought, or maybe he'd been slowed some how, either by being out of practice or having to keep in pace with two much shorter-legged Irkens, who knew. Soon enough, the murky sky was a deep purple, no stars or moons shining through the layer of smog. Poe sighed,  
  
"I guess we'd better find shelter.. It'll still be there in the morning, hopefully."  
  
"Hopefully?!" Zim screeched, not liking the sound of that at all.  
  
"Now come on calm down... we'll be okay if we stick together right?... Right?" Cten nudged Zim in the middle, he grumbled and muttered before saying finally,  
  
"...right."  
  
"A stolen 'Cruiser's a pretty major offence, I'm sure the Patrollers are all over it.." He looked at the sky, "Speaking of which, since I'm suppose to be dead, we'd better not run into any." Poe looked around, "I'd say the alleys were somewhat safer than the buildings, most of the latter are already claimed.." He started down a particular alley that didn't seem to be occupied. Zim followed after him,  
  
"So these groups are everywhere you say?" he asked, narrowing an eyebrow at a questionable looking box of trash. Cten remained out on the street for a split second before following the two - not wanting anything else that was even remotely similar or worse then what happened before.  
  
"Yeah. Gangs. THey're pretty complicated, most of the local gangs are just subsidaries of bigger gangs that usually dominate one 'end' of a city.." Poe explained as he sorted through the trash, with his boot foot, looking for something intently.  
  
"And how big are these groups, mostly?" Zim glanced upwards at the starless sky, trying to figure out if he'll survive this or not.  
  
"Depends. The network can spread across half the city, but they usually run in little cliques." Poe picked up a needle carefully from the trash, scowled at it and tossed it away, "A group of four or five might claim a block, and several of these groups will exist in a given sector of the slums." Next he pulled a dead six-armed, purple, rat-like thing away, examined it for a while, then set it back on the ground in front of them. "They mark their territory with graffiti and also use it to issue challenges and such.. all the gangs hate each other. You can usually tell them by if they're wearing a certain colour or have an initiation scar.. that's supper, by the way." Zim stared at the dead six-armed purple rat wide-eyed while listening to Poe explain it all. He coughs.  
  
"Urhm....." Cten stared blankly at the rat for a while, blinking a few times. "You have GOT to be kidding." Zim said, scowling slightly.  
  
"Hm, fine." Poe motioned to some scritching sounds coming from the corner, where some trash was moving about, "You could always catch a fresh one if you want." He sat down by his find, sawing off a leg of the rat with his claw.  
  
"I think I'll eat nothing tonight." Zim sat down on the ground, holding himself and muttering nastily about years of Academy training waisted to be sat out here with Rejects. Cten sighed, still standing near Zim as she watched Poe prepare dinner.  
  
"I'd eat something if I were you, Zim." Poe bit down on the leg and tore off a hunk, holding it in his teeth as he sliced off a drumstick for Cten, "We haven't been getting much food, much water, much sleep," he glanced up at the smoggy sky, "Hell, even less air than we were on Earth." He pulled the leg out of his mouth, ripping off most of the meat as he did, chewing, "Your body'll give out on you before you know it."  
  
"I don't eat _meat_." Zim muttered more to himself, not particularly proud of his vegitarianism - which he hoped would have kept quiet all throughout his life. Cten cautiously took the drumstick from Poe and looked at it. Meat wasn't her big fantasy either, what with Poe always asking her to consider putting BBQ sauce on her from time to time.  
  
"If we stay out here much longer, you will." He swallowed and cracked the bone between his fangs, "Trust me. There might be a dead _body_ in the next alley we have to sleep in, afterall, better to eat rat for a night than have to become a cannibal."  Zim turned his back to Poe, glaring out at the street and will keep his silence for the rest of the night. Cten took a very tentive bite of the drumstick, but pulled it away to look downright disgusted by the taste of fur, blood and meat mixed together. Poe smirked to himself,  
  
"Suit yourself, but trust me, Irken meat is stringy.." He worried at the bone in his mouth and glanced over at Cten, "Maybe they'll have food reserves on the Cruiser.. Maybe not." Cten now just stared at Poe blankly for the first comment he said, the blankness looking to shock slowly. She sat down, note not so close to Poe and just tries to eat the drumstick without being sick. Poe blinked over at Cten and chuckled to himself. He poked her side, leaning over and whispering,  
  
"I was kidding." She made a 'hmm' sound, probably cause her mouth was full or because all of this was now weighing down on her head. Hey, being calm and collected for so long is hard in a situation like this. Poe leaned back into an upright position and sighed. He seemed calm enough, this was his homeland afterall,  
  
"I think I'm going to kiss the first patch of Earth soil I see when we land.." A snoring sound came from Zim, as he still sat crunched up. Cten glanced at him, then handed Poe the bone that was left of the drumstick.  
  
"Here." she just said. Poe sighed and took it, gnawing on the joint end.  
  
"I hate to sound like a pessimist, but there's always the chance the Cruiser might not even _work_."  
  
"Thanks for destorying my last fleeting glint of hope in my head." Cten muttered, sounding rather nasty now, before laying down and holding herself. Poe flinched slightly and sighed, leaning against the wall he was nearest to.  
  
"We should have known as soon as we were tossed in those Patroller cars that there was a good chance we'd never see home again." He set his head back against the wall, "I'd say we've been pretty lucky so far."  
  
"I'm trying my best to keep telling myself I'll see Enid again and Beka. I know how slim it is we'll get home again at all and this could be the way I end up living the rest of my life okay? I'm not brainless." came her responce, still turned away from him and trying to keep herself warm, "But I'll keep thinking what I think, you do whatever you want. You're the one who's most at home here."  
  
"Fine." He stood up suddenly and started walking out of the alley.  
  
"Fine." she said quietly and shut her eyes, holding her hands up and over them. Poe threw his coat at her before he disappeared, probably off to find something else to eat or to clear his head, who knew. Zim made another snorting sound. She winced as the coat hit her, but still made no move to take it and just rolled over onto her other side.  
  
"I knew he'd abandon us the first chance he got!" Zim muttered to himself.. so much for silence.  
  
"Let him do whatever he wants." Cten muttered from her place on the floor, sounding more and more un-Cten like each time she spoke tonight, isn't she? A look of panic suddenly struck Zim's face, and he scrunched up onto himself,  
  
"Maybe we should make a break for it, he might eat us when he gets back.."  
  
"Or maybe some group will find us and do it before he does." she muttered.  
  
"Well then--" Zim started, then sighed, realizing there wasn't anything they _could_ do. He groaned and held his forehead,  
  
"Compared to this, I miss Dib.." he mumbled to himself. Cten sat up now, sighing.  
  
"Miserable planet full of Reject scum." she hissed. Zim blinked at her blankly, thinking those would be the last words he'd ever hear from her, then shook his head,  
  
"I agree with you fully! Maybe we should find that stupid Voot Cruiser on our own and leave him behind!" She shrugged slightly,  
  
"We don't even know the way Zim, so how could we? If we leave, we'd get eaten from a group. Stay here, we'd possibly be raped then eaten or left to die. So we're Reject food whatever we do."  
  
"Bah!" Zim scrunched his face up and scooted back against the wall, "He caught me off guard," he muttered in embaressment. And speak of the devil, voices started to drift into their lonely alley, a familiar male voice and a distruntled female one.  
  
"I made you what you are today!"  
  
"..I'm a whore, Snab!"  
  
"So?" Cten and Zim's antennae both perked at the same time, then they glanced at each other. Cten mouthed "Don't move." to Zim, so they just kept really quite right now, couldn't help but listen in on the conversation going on. Shadows started to play on the wall opposite of the alley, and sure enough, there was the Pimp, dragging behind him a female about his height, who wasn't dressed in much but a lot of makeup, and smelled rather foul from a combonation of disgusting things. She was grumbling and trying to yank away from Snab, who promptly slapped her across the cheek,  
  
"I ain't had a good day, so you behave!" He snarled.  Zim scooted into the wall, moving to the side. Cten looked down right disgusted at this, slowly moving aside and hoping neither of the two would see her or Zim for that matter.  
  
"Lovely time to take a walk Poe..." she thought to herself.  
  
"So how much of my stash did you steal?" Snab accused, bringing the whore to face him,  
  
"Enough." She snickered and huffed smoke into his face, and he clenched his fists, tossing her away roughly,  
  
"You'd better earn it back before I grind up your antennae and smoke that instead!" The female muttered and rubbed her shoulder, stalking off. Snab stood in distgruntedlness for a while, before he tilted his head, taking off his hat and perking his antennae.  
  
"Hmm.." and he started towards the alley. Zim was by now, out of sight hidden behind some garbage bags. Cten was now holding her breath, and onto her antennae as the shadow of Snab loomed closer as he made his way into the alley and kept walking. Laid before him was what was left of the rat thing, a few legs missing and such. Snab adjusted his suit shirt and looked down at the eaten rat. He snorted and picked it up, tossing it away,  
  
"Nice to see your mate's feeding you well," he said sarcastically, turning to look at Cten. She just stared at him blankly, then shifted slightly.  
  
"It's all we can have..." she said quietly.  
  
"Hangin' out with that trash eater, yeah." He grinned charmingly and leaned forward on his cane, "Now, if you knew someone of class, with a wealthy career, like me.. I eat gourmet every night!" He snickered.  
  
"I'm sure." she muttered, trying not to show her fear at how close he was now.  
  
"Hey, I'm feeling gentleIrkly tonight." He swung his cane around, "How 'bout I take you out someplace to eat a proper meal?"  
  
"No thank you."  
  
"Why not? You like eating carrion?"

  
"I'm fine, thank you."  
  
"I think you been hanging out with that low-life too long." He reached down and took her hand, somewhat forcefully, "You don't even want to accept help!"  
  
"Let me _go_." she snarled, today not being a good day she yanked at her hand - trying to free it.  
  
"Maybe I should show you what a _real_ Irken is like..." He glared down at her, his tone suddenly changing dramatically as he hissed through his teeth, surprisingly strong as he yanked her to her feet. She couldn't help but be scared how, and tried to get his hand off of hers. From what he did before, she had good idea what he had in mind now. While all this was happening, Zim has been watching these events. Despite the fact he wants to help her, he knows he can't manage it. He frowns, then gets to his feet and hurries out of the alley way, trying to find Poe.  
  
"Hey, what the-" Snab turned as Zim scurried by, but assumed he was running off in fear. Snab grinned wickedly down at her and grabbed one of her antennae roughly, "Looks like it's just you and me now.." And with that, pressed her up against the brick wall. Her free hand grabbed at his hand, clawing at it as she was pushed against the wall. Now she was panicing. Snab growled and let go of her antennae, grabbing the clawing hand tightly and squeezing it, slamming it back against the brick wall,  
  
"You females just can't behave, can you?!" He snarled in her face with his acrid, smoke-filled breath, one of his pod-legs unfurling, "Maybe you _like_ being punished?" The pod leg loomed forward, catching on the open collar of her tank top and ripping downward. Now since it's best we try to keep this story as PG as we can, we pan away to where Zim is. He looks paniced as anything, rushing along the streets stopping to look down each alley way as he did - hoping to see the Reject. He turned a sharp corner, and collided with an Irken who, luckily enough was Poe. Zim yelped as he hit the ground, looking upwards to see Poe's black eyes staring down at him.  
  
"POE!" Zim screeched, quickly getting to his feet. "Poe you have to come quickly there's that jerk Snacb and he's got Cten and and you got to come QUICK!" he gripped at Poe's collar while he spoke a hundred words per second.  
  
"What?!" Poe looked up from his brooding over at Zim, and snarled to himself, getting to his feet and taking off, leaving Zim behind. His long legs carried him pretty quickly, and he turned the corner into the alley. Snab being far too - preoccupied - to notice, suddenly felt a weight come down on his back, claws wrapping around his thin throat as he was suddenly yanked bodily off of Cten. Cten fell to the ground, now crying and she pulls her shaking hands over herself, as if trying to fix her grey tanktop as well as her pants from being ripped and pretty much destoryed. Zim arrives, finally around the corner and hurries over to Cten and took her hand. She yelped as he touched her, but he managed to move her away from the now feuding Irken Rejects. Snab started to sit up from his place on the wall, his pants around his ankles, but he went down again when Poe kicked him in the jaw, hard. He tried to kick the Pimp again, when Snab snarled and caught his foot, and pretty soon the two pointy-toothed Irkens were embroiled in a rather fierce, bloody fight, more like a pair of wild animals than anything Irken. Zim lead Cten to the other end of the alley way, and his eyes glistened as he saw it. The building they had been after for so long, was right on the other end of the alley way. He turned his head back to the brawl, but knew he had to get Cten to safety in this kind of situation. The small used-to be Invader lead her across the street to the building, the two vanishing inside quickly. If there was fur, it'd be flying; both Irkens were fairly evenly matched in experience and size, but Poe was so enraged he probably was twice as dangerous as he usually was. He finally grabbed hold of Snab's antennae, yanked his head back, and _ripped out his throat_ with his teeth, a strangled, gurgling scream probably being heard by Cten and Zib, but it was impossible to tell who it was.  
  
"...oh Slark..." Zim muttered to himself as he heard the scream ring out which was quickly silenced. Cten was still quite upset, wiping her eyes as best she could barely hear the sound and even if she could, it'd make her worse. A shadow soon fell across the room they were in as an Irken entered, breathing hard, hard to tell who it was in the light, just like a cheesy horror movie. Zim frowned, standing up in front of Cten and raising his fists in an attempt to be brave now.  
  
"W-who are you?!" Poe stepped into the dim light that was filtering through one of the half-boarded up windows, panting raggedly and looking rather wild-eyed, blood covering his mouth, hands, and multiple other places, impossible to tell if he was hurt or what. He dropped to his knees and leaned over, the adrenaline high making him shake and cough, hacking up blood onto the floor.  
  
"....oh." Zim lowered his fists, looking from Poe to Cten. He looked pretty distressed at what to do, then opened his pak and began handing Poe some bandage-like things. Poe lifted his head and snarled at Zim ferally, the look in his eyes telling him something wasn't quite at home. Zim pulled back, frowning and putting the things away.  
  
"Fine." he snuffed. Cten, who had managed to get Poe's jacket before leaving the alley way had it over herself as she laid against the wall, eyes shut. Poe turned towards Cten and stood up, stalking towards her, with who knows what intentions. She opened her eyes, looking up at him. The way he looked, did not look good at all. She cowered now, covering her eyes with his jacket, starting to cry again. He sat down beside her when he reached her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tighly and closing his eyes, looking suddenly rather exhausted. Cten kept the jacket over her eyes, couldn't help but lean into him as she sobbed. Zim stood off to the side, glancing around seeing the Irkens stood around. Poe set his chin on top of her head, though it was probably slimey and stank of blood. He curled up around her somewhat, practically asleep already. Zim shrugged, then looked to an Irken stood besides him.  
  
"I... think we'll wait a while until we see if that thing works. Yes." Poe cracked his eyes open, looking over at Zim,  
  
"Who.. are you.. talking to?" he rasped.  
  
"Him." Zim pointed to the Irken stood besides him.  
  
"Uhm... yeah we... we've been looking after the Voot Cruiser since Vivor told us to..." said the rather lanky Irken. Poe's eyelid just twitched, not seeming to really comprehend, he closed his eyes again and fell asleep. Soon, morning came. Sunlight managed to pour into the building, the messy Poe still asleep besides Cten, still wrapped in his jacket. The other Irkens still stood around the guarded Voot Cruiser. Zim had fallen asleep in a cardboard box. Poe was rather soundly asleep, holding Cten in a death grip, and with the amount of blood on him and the nearby floor it might make one wonder if he _was_ dead. Cten made a small sound, then her eyes slowly opened. She didn't seem to matter at all she had blood leaked on her, but she managed to free a bare arm, and stroaked Poe's cheek gently. Poe didn't move or react; well, he always never had been a morning person. She shut her eyes and leant her head against him again, while looking over at Zim, still snoozing. Zim slowly awoke when sunlight hit him through the window, yawning loudly and stretching out his short arms and legs. He blinked his eyes open blearily, and got up, rubbing his back and cracking out his spine; curling up in a box wasn't very good, ergonomically speaking. He looked back at Cten, wincing when he saw Poe, who looked a great deal worse now that there was light; one of his antennae was a few inches shorter, he had scratches on his face and a nasty bite mark on his arm, and that was just what was visible. She smiled slightly as Zim stood up, and wave him a small wave.  
  
"Morning… Zim…" she said quietly. He wandered over to her, drumming his fingers together,  
  
"Are you, er, alright?"   
  
"I don't know... I'm kinda numb." she replied, but still had a small smile on her face.  
  
"That's.. uh.. good, I think." He glanced over at Poe and poked him in the head, still no response. "Is he alive?" He snorted, looking slightly grossed out.  
  
"Yeah... he's breathing." she said, "Luckily." she glanced at Poe, then looked at Zim. "Thanks Zim, for last night I mean.."  
  
"Nonsense, it was my duty as an.." He remembered something and glanced down at his shirt, "Eh.. well.. you know."  
  
"...my friend?" she nuzzled against Poe, her antennae curling. "I know…"  
  
"It's against protocol to.. oh, wait." He tilted his head slightly, "I don't have to obey protocol any more, _do_ I?" This seemed like a revelation to him.  
  
"No." she replied simply.  
  
"Then.. yes, I suppose friend works." He folded his arms behind his back, grinning slightly. Poe started to stir, letting out a low, pained groan. She grinned back at him before Poe started to awaken, she looked at him and stroked his cheeck which was pain and boo-boo free. Poe opened his eyes open a sliver, looking rather pained. He was breathing, alright, but it was somewhat laboured and uneven. He looked down at Cten, guilt mixing in with the pain,  
  
"Cten.. I'm.. sorry.. I should have.. been there.."   
  
"Shhh... it's all right..." she put her other hand to the other side of his face, "You're still here, I'm still here, Zim's here and we found the Voot Cruiser... we'll be all right."  
  
"But.." Poe looked over, seeing the ship in the dim light. "Damn.. I should've just gone in here to begin with.. ow." He started to sit up, wincing and holding his side.  
  
"Oh be careful.." she managed to help him up, though he couldn't stand straight due to pains in his joints, and loss of blood. Zim was already in the Voot Cruiser, seeing if it was working or not. Poe stumbled to his feet, leaning against her heavily as she lead him towards the cruiser,  
  
"I'm fine.. I've had worse.." he wheezed, "I didn't know he had such sharp teeth though.." Zim gave a great cheer as the Voot Cruiser sprung to life, lights flashing on.  
  
"It works! It works!!" he screeched happily, not able to contain the joy. Heck after what the groups been through, how could he not?  
  
"Great Zim!" Cten smiled, helping Poe into the cruiser. Poe looked around at the lights, grinning slightly and being sat down. It was somewhat cramped in the cruiser, but hey, it was worth it.  
  
"Now, let's just hope we can find the way back to Earth.."  
  
"I found it once before, I can find it again!" Zim declared, sitting down in front of Poe as Cten entered the Voot Cruiser. Poe leaned against Cten, all three of them probably having seen better days. A door started to open in the side of the building, obviously having been a garage at one point. In a split second, the Voot Cruiser soared off into the sky and as Zim hit the 'quick speed', it was gone in a flash of light back towards the planet now six months away, Earth.  
  
[To be continued]


	4. Chapter 4

Incororating Life  
Epic Five  
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 4_  
  
Good month later, still in space…  
  
_Poe had healed up over time, though he still looked a bit bad, there not being a cleaning stall in the cruiser and all. He looked down worriedly at Cten, who'd been acting ill and what not, "Are you sure you're alright?"  
  
"Poe, I keep telling you I know what this is." she replied, from being sat at the back of the Cruiser, Zim still piloting. Poe folded his antennae back, having an idea himself since he'd been through this once before. He just sighed, putting his arm around her shoulders.  
  
"What is it?" Zim looked back at the two, worried about the bigger mess the Cruiser might get into if he had the right idea too. Poe put his head on his palm,  
  
"I think.. that Pimp.. he got her.." he growled to himself, bristling.  
  
"....great...." Zim glanced at the clean floor, then at Cten. "Any idea how soon you'll be?"  
  
"No not really..."  
  
"Well tell me and if we're close enough to a planet we'll land." he turned back to his steering. Poe just stared out the window, looking to be an odd mixture of guilt and.. jealousy? Well, male instinct and all.. Cten stared at him, knowing him so well she knows what he's thinking and rolls her eyes.  
  
"Oh Poe..."  
  
"What?" He seemed slightly defensive, looking back over at her.  
  
"...nothing." she smirked slightly, putting a hand to her tummy area. "I just hope this time it's easier..." she muttered. Poe frowned and hugged her slightly. He leaned his elbow against the window,  
  
"I just wonder how things are faring back on Earth.."  
  
"Better I hope." Cten said, her antennae beginning to curl somewhat.  
  
"If Dib's done one thing to Zib I swear..." Zim grumbled angrilly more to himself.  
  
"Or Enid, for that matter." He glared slightly, then glanced over at Cten, "What are we going to tell her, anyway?"  
  
"I... don't know... the truth is better then lies... but still..." Poe nodded slightly. Maybe she'll like having a little.. eh.. brother or sister, who knows."  
  
"It'd make things easier." she replied, then blinked a few times. Then she kicked the back of Zim's seat.  
  
"Ow! What was that for?!" he glared back at her, but she merely pointed to her stomach. "...oh." his antennae faltered, and he turned back to his driving, searching the dark skies for a planet. Poe frowned again and held onto Cten, holding her tightly and taking hold of her hand.  
  
"Is it such a good idea to land in the middle of an alien planet in a crisis like this?"  
  
"Good thing, cause I don't _see_ any planets." Zim replied as Cten began to make painy noises. Poe looked down at her worriedly and started to move her uniform pants down for her, looking around for nest material. He sighed and took off his coat, setting it on the floor in a circular pattern and picking her up, resting her on it. Zim decided to keep his mind on driving and began whistling loudly. Cten shivered in pain as she was moved, even a little bit by Poe. She arched her back as she started to push, luckily enough this one was easier then Enid's laying. Poe held both of her hands now, sitting behind her and using her head as a chin-rest, not quite as enthusiastic about this laying as he was the last one. Cten then cried out as the egg, this one luckily normal size despite how tall Snab had been... and it fell onto Poe's jacket. At this time, Zim just happened to look back and the look on his face clearly shown he wished he hadn't. He turns quickly back to his driving, muttering about eggs and pimps. Poe looked down, wincing slightly at the goo all over his jacket, not that hat was any worse than all the blood on it. He hugged Cten slightly, not really sure what else to do. She looked down at it blankly, and just put her hands on Poe's arms dully.  
  
"...well that's it then..." she said quietly. Poe nodded slightly and looked down at it.  
  
"What are we going to do with it?"  
  
"I... I can't just abandon it, Poe." she said, leaning down to pick it up in her arms. "Mistake or not, it's mine.." He nodded slowly.  
  
"I know. I wouldn't suggest something like that.." He held up his coat for her to wrap it up in. She took it, wrapping it up then holding it against her chest.  
  
"Now, we just.. do what we did before."  
  
"I'm giving you two the cleaning bill." Zim said, still watching the skies again. Poe didn't seem particularly happy, just really.. sort of numb. He held Cten, though, and stared at the bulkhead on the opposite side of the cruiser as though it held any interest. Cten looked up at him, then back down at the egg and just held it close and shut her eyes. Probably trying to see if this has all been some awful dream.  
  
_Meanwhile, back on planet Earth..._

Enid stood in front of the Skool notice board, it was after Skool now but she had been there due to her football practice. She was reading the notice of a Skool Prom that was to happen in a month or so, and to put your name down and your associate or 'date' as you wish, so you'd be included.  
  
"Huh." she muttered slightly, before walking off down the hallway. Since Zib was no longer in Skool, would it be all right for him to come with her, that is if he said he would. She frowned slightly as she thought it over. But by the time she arrived back at the base, she had other fish to fry. Really. Since the base was still unable to produce the food for them, she had to learn how to cook, especially for Zib since he ate human food. And by the time Zib arrived home from his usual day at the labs, she was frying some kind of fish over the oven. Zib opened the door and trudged in, his hair-scythes drooping at the sides of his head. He looked exhausted, probably a hectic day at the lab.  
  
"I'm home," he announced half-heartedly and sank down on the couch, not even bothering to take off his lab coat.  
  
"Hi Mini Master!" Gir walked into the room, wearing what looked to be feather dusters over his metal person. Obviously a quick fix to dusting, since he'd clamber over practically everything in the base.  
  
"Heh, hi, Gir." He patted the robot's head absently with his gloved claws, then blinked, his antennae perking when he smelled something drifting in from the kitchen. He stood up and followed the scent, reaching Enid and trying to peer over her shoulder with little success, since she was taller and everything. "Making something?" he said, hopefully.  
  
"Yeah, decided to do fish." she said, holding the pan out to him, before flipping the fish over with a spatchua. "So, hectic day I take?" Enid put the pan back onto the stove as Gir began running around in the lounge.  
  
"Yeah," he slumped a little, remembering, running a claw through his permenently mussed hair, "The Professor doesn't seem to mind putting inexperienced lab technicians in charge of highly combustible chemicals.." He muttered, his job having been upgraded several times over since he first signed on.  
  
"Must have a lot of faith in you then, that or he's stupid." she grinned back kinda, then nudged him with her elbow.  
  
"Nya." He stuck out the tip of his tongue and peeked over the side of her arm to see how the fish was coming. "So, uh, how was skool?"  
  
"Skool... oh, fine as usual... usual punk Girls think they're better then me and act all snobby and stuff." she shrugged it off, not mentioning how she got the best of them during recess. "Oh, and I saw there's a prom coming in a month. You wanna go with me?" she looked back at him as she asked this question, one antennae lifting. "I mean if you want to." Zib blinked up at her and his own antennae perked, and he half-grinned, half smirked,  
  
"Why Enid, are you asking me out on a date?" She smirked back, turning to face him.  
  
"Why yes, Zib. I am asking you out on our first official date."  
  
"Sure, then." He grinned fully, setting his arms around her waist, "It'd be a nice break from going back and forth between the labs and the house." He glanced over at the cooking food, "...so when's supper?" Typical guy. Enid scoffed, pushing his arms off her while grinning.  
  
"Soon, first you go change out of your lab coat. You got a bad stain in an area that looks... wrong." she pointed downwards at his coat, before turning back to the fish just in time to flip it over.  
  
"Aw," He looked down and scowled, "Didn't notice that.." He reached up to his tallish collar and started unbuttoning, shrugging off his coat to reveal his magenta, striped, non-smiley-faced t-shirt. He hung the coat up on something convienent and looked down at his shirt, scowling, "I really need to find something else to wear. I look like a 12 year old.."  
  
"Yeah, and find something suitable for the prom too." she pointed out putting the fish onto a plate before setting it on the already set table. Usual things, knives, forks, salt-pepper, glass for any drink and so forth. "I'm not gonna turn up with you still dressed like that."  
  
"Oh, I will! I'll find the greatest prom suit ever!" He vowed, then added, "...for my size, that is." He sat down on the seat, actually taking off his gloves as well, sitting his elbows on the table(tsk!) and setting his chin in his palms. "So what exactly will this.. prom thing entail?" He'd seen stuff on TV, but the reality was always different.  
  
"Usual." she said before tapping his elbows with her hand as she went back for her own meal. "Dancing, drinking, so on and so forth." He frowned when he was tapped, leaning back in his seat and picking up a fork.  
  
"Drinking? As in imbibing liquid, or imbibing _alchoholic_ liquid?" He raised his eyebrow at her, stabbing a piece of fish with his fork and stuffing it in his mouth.  
  
"Who knows, both probably." she replied, sitting down at her own seat. "But I'm going to stick strickly to the normal drinks, nothing boozey."  
  
"Yeah." He scrunched the area his nose would be, "The stuff smells like dookie anyways.. and who knows what effect it has on Irken physiology."  
  
"Knowing our bodies, probably ten times worse then humans." Enid said as she bit down into some... form of meat that the base had kept in the fridge. Zib nodded,  
  
"Well.. fives time in my case." He took another bite of the fish, looking rather happy, "I think you inherited your Mom's cooking ability, En!"  
  
"Heh, yeah... good thing eh?" she smiled brightly, before sipping her drink. "Or else we'd have burnt food if I'd inherited my Daddy's."  
  
"I think you'd have run out and caught something if you'd inherited your Daddy's.." He teased, finishing off the fish rather quickly.  
  
"Oh haha. Then, burnt freshly killed meat then. Yuck!" she made a face at the idea, her tongue hanging out.  
  
"Ugh, then I'm glad your Mom.." He trailed off slightly, frowning and not sure whether to use 'is' or 'was'.  
  
"My Mom what?" she looked over at him, before sinking her half sharpened teeth into the meat-like food she had.  
  
"Um.. you know, was a Maid." He glanced to the side.  
  
"Oh." she looked at her meat, poking it with her fork. "Yeah, I guess it was good she was a maid... though she kinda quit when she met Daddy 'n stuff."  
  
"Oh, not really," He grinned slightly, "I remember when she'd come and babysit for me, she'd cook great stuff.. and clean." He decided not to mention the fact she'd bathed him on more than one occasion when he was a wee smeet, since that was a bit awkward.  
  
"Clean what, the house or you?" she grinned teasingly at him, her antenane wiggling in a teasing motion. Seemed no matter how old they were, she'd always manage to get a slight jab at Zib somewhere amist the conversation.  
  
"Oh, you nevermind." He made a face at her. "I guess I _was_ a bit sloppy when I was a smeet.."  
  
"Hee, who wasn't?" she shrugged, smiling now. "I remember when I came home one day sMothered in mud, I swear Mom was going to burst something from the trail I'd left in the lounge." Zib snickered.  
  
"Bah, you should've seen my Mom when I came home muddy.. last time I ever went out with Gir and his pig friend, that's for sure." He pushed his fork around on the plate, looking a bit downcast. "Zim wasn't the ideal Mother, but I miss him..."  
  
"Well... he was the one who was there all the time, right?" she glanced up at him, cutting the meat with her claw - without even noticing really. Zib noticed, blinking a bit at her odd method of cutting meat, then shook his head.  
  
"Yeah.. It's nice that Dib's tried to be a friend lately, heck he's being nicer than Mom ever usually was, but still."  
  
"Hmm.." she licked her claw then jabbed the meat with her fork. "Sure he wasn't nice, but he was there when you needed him." she blinked, then looked at him. "How long does it take to get to Earth from Irk anyway?" Zib shrugged.  
  
"I don't know, Mom never said how far away Irk was, or what galaxy it was in, much less the capabilities of the Voot Cruiser.. Given the fact that Earth remains relatively unaware of alien life forms, though, I'd say this was a pretty backwater part of the universe. It could take years.."  
  
"Oh." with that Enid finished her meal off, then put the fork onto the plate not having really used her knife. Zib tapped his fork against his chin, looking up thoughtfully.  
  
"It'd depend on a number of things, namely Irken life cycles.. How long they had to live would affect how quickly they want to get from place to place. A year might be a lot to us, having grown up with Earth time, but to our parents, who knows."  
  
"Mom said Irkens live pretty long compared to Earth years... the Tallest themselves, she said was over 120 in Earth years so..." she shrugged slightly. "Who knows." Zib narrowed his eyes as he pondered, putting the fork to his lip,  
  
"I do recall Mom complaining once about having to spend 6 months trapped in the Cruiser with Gir once.."  
  
"So, six months to get from Earth to Irk." she said quietly, then furrowed her brow. "And a Patroller would obviously be quicker, since it would be on a more important mission then Invading... so, maybe five months... and they've been gone for over five months now anyway..." she glanced out the window up at the sky. "...if they are still alive maybe they're trying to get back home."  
  
"If they're alive, though, how would they get back? Maybe they could get their hands on another 'Cruiser somehow.." He glanced out the window. "You really think they could be alive..?"  
  
"...a part of me still says they're alive somewhere. Another part says to forget them but, heck." she shrugged before standing up and heading to the window. "If they were dead, I think I'd get a feeling they were." Zib followed her, soon standing beside her.  
  
"Logic tells me not to get my hopes up, but." He looked out the window with her, "I can't give up totally.."  
  
"Yeah, I mean.. they're our parents. And I don't think they'd give up without some kind of a fight, especially your Mom." she smiled slightly, then wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "So to answer your question... yes, I really think they're alive." Zib nodded, smiling with a touch of pride, and leaned against her, setting his arm around the small of her back.  
  
"I suppose I do too. Who knows when they'll be back though.. it's a big universe out there."  
  
"Very big... but they made it here once, they can make it here again." she said firmly, stroking the side of his head with her claw.  
  
"Infinite actually, in theory at least, and size is applying a finite thing to an infinant.. mmmh." He trailed off of his science lecture when she stroked his temple, closing his eyes happily. She smiled slightly, her hand drawing up to mess with his hair gently whilst she leant down to his height and kissed him near the mouth, more like on the corner of his mouth.  
  
"Well, my love for you is infinant, does that count for something?" He broke out into one of his goofy, lovestruck grins,  
  
"Oh, of course…" He tightened his grip on her and snuggled into her side, "I wouldn't try describing my feelings for you in finite terms, either," he poked her side with his claw. She wrapped her other arm around him, now hugging him against her.  
  
"Hmm…" she murmered gently. Zib returned the embrace and lifted himself up somewhat to return the kiss as well. Gir took this moment to peek into the kitchen, and broke out in a fit of loud giggles. And, same moment that happened Beka walked in, her eyes flashing pink.  
  
"Hey hey!" she said, walking towards the two, now standing inbetween the two.  
  
"Beka, what is it?" Enid sounded somewhat annoyed now, as the small robot folded it's arms while glaring at Zib.  
  
"_My_ virgin alarm. Clocked on to go off before he does." she said simply, a small glare at Zib.  
  
"Oh boy." Enid muttered.  
  
"Hey, we were just having a _moment_," Zib huffed indignantly down at Beka, "And I'm an adult, I'm perfectly capable of controlling myself!" Well.. close enough, at least.  
  
"A-_hah_!" Beka pointed up at Zib, "Just what I meant! You can't even controll yourself fully and I don't want it with my Mistress returns to find her daughter expecting!" Enid sighed, rolling her eyes. The two rearely did have any 'moments' together, and probably never will now Beka had this 'Virgin alarm'.  
  
"Who programmed that into her?" Zib mumbled to himself and Enid, glancing over at her. He sighed and shook his head, "Fine, fine, we'll be good.." he dropped an arm away fron En in resignation.  
  
"Good." Beka gave a sharp nod, then looked back at Gir. "…shouldn't you have a show to be watching?" she headed off after him out the room. Enid smirked slightly, then grinned at Zib.  
  
"Robots…"  
  
"Oy… she's more like a nanny." He reached up and scratched the back of his head, sighing in exhasperation. "I hope I don't have to get her permission to go to the prom.."  
  
"Hehe, be best to ask her. I'd hate to feel guilty about going out with you without permission of my nanny." Enid grinned stupidly at him.  
  
"Next I'm going to have to sign permission slips just to go to work." He mumbled, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "I don't think she likes me much.."  
  
"Oh she does." Enid patted him on the head, giving his antennae a quick stroke. "She's just protective." Zib seemed to cheer up the insant she stroked his antennae,  
  
"I never thought I'd have a robotic nanny.. or dog for that matter." He glanced into the living room, where Gir was doing nothing but making googly eyes at Beka, only serving to annoy her. Beka glared back, one eye narrowed as the googly eyed robot kept staring. Enid laughed slightly, walking back to the table and collecting the plates.  
  
"Ah well... I'm sure even Gir has a reason for being here."  
  
"Still… I've noticed even he seems a little lonely without Zim around…" He picked up the silverware and set it in the sink.  
  
"Don't blame the little guy." Enid put them into the sink, before pulling on her rubber gloves what with being forced to use water to wash the dishes. "He's been with Zim longer then either of us."  
  
"Hey, I'll do that, I'm more resistant to water." He nudged Enid away from the plates, "True.. I remember how he use to get jealous because Mom paid me more attention." He chuckled, scrubbing the plate with a.. scrubby thing, then snickered, "I also remember when Cten first told me and Gir she liked Poe…"  
  
"Really? Gir would have been like a brother with you around huh?" she glanced at the lounge when she heard Beka say something like,  
  
"Get that sauce away from me!"  
  
"When I was younger, yeah. I played with him when I was little, but I guess I, er, outgrew him pretty quickly. After a while he became more like some kind of odd pet.." He looked over to the lounge, where Gir had produced a messy taco, out of his head canister probably, and was holding it out for Beka with a cheesy grin. The look on Beka's face shown pure disgust, what with her tongue hanging out. The little robot now looked somewhat hurt, so she sighed and took it from him anyway.  
  
"Poor Gir… and with Beka as the only other robot for company… heh." she smirked as she saw Beka with the taco. Zib smirked as well and turned towards the living room, one hand leaning on the sink lip while his knuckles sat against his waist,  
  
"Who should be chapperoning who, now?" he said in a louder tone, making sure they could hear him.  
  
"Oh haha!" Beka called back as she, even though she didn't want to, put the taco into her head canister.  
  
"Yeah Beka, should we leave you and Mr. Romeo alone for a while or what?" Enid called out. While Beka had turned away, Gir was eying the end of her antennae with a look of pure puppy love, smiling happly, the tip of his tongue sticking out as he clasped his hands together. He could contain his love no longer, and leaped forward, glomping onto the end of Beka's antennae,  
  
"I LOVE YOU BEKA-BOBBY-THINGEE!" ..which was met wth rauctious laughter from the kitchen.  
  
"AHH!!" Beka shrieked as possibly the most sensitive part of her being was suddenly glomped by Gir, and grabbed at his legs and tried to pull him off her head. "Off!! Get off! Ow! No don't suck it stop!! AIE!" He was impossible to pry off, the little lovestruck robot having a death grip on the antennae, his eye-cams upturned happily as he nuzzled the red thingee with his cheek. Zib managed to stop giggling long enough to try and distract the insane little SIR,  
  
"Hey, Gir, isn't that your friend.. um.. Pig outside?" Gir blinked and dropped off of Beka's head, then flew out the window, which thankfully was open.  
  
"PIGGY!" Beka landed on the ground, front first with a CLANG.  
  
"...ow." she patted her antennae bob painfully. Enid walked in, over Beka and to the window to see Gir now chasing a car down the street with a confused looking driver at the wheel.  
  
"Aw Gir, gotta love him, eh Beka?"  
  
"Ugh." she muttered. Zib snickered to himself and went back to washing the other dish, stopping to scratch at his now itchy hands every so often. He blew his bangs out of his face,  
  
"Man do I miss Irken technology.." he murmured, looking up at the ceiling.  
  
"Oooohhh..." Beka wobbled her way into the kitchen, now disoriented due to the glomping and slumped against the wall looking all dizzy. Enid walked back into the room, pondering aloud.  
  
"I wonder what colour dress I should wear... this being the first and last time I wear one..." Zib glanced over at her.  
  
"Something tells me you'd look good in something black." He immersed the dish into the water and suggested with faked innocent and a smirk, "I dunno, maybe leather?"  
  
"Pft, I want to look nice. Not cheap." she said in a dignified matter, grabbing onto her jacket's collar.  
  
"Aw, fine." He started drying off the dish and turned around, "Maybe something dark blue, then? It'd match your eyes, even if I was the only one that really knew what they looked like.."  
  
"Aw, yeah.... dark blue'd be nice... maybe something strappless too... we'll see." she shrugged, then smirked at him. "As for you, deep red tuxedo or black?" Enid couldn't help but grin at the idea of Zib in a tux.  
  
"It'll be hard enough to find one that'd fit me period, much less one in a colour other than black.." He looked down at himself and frowned, feeling silly already and he wasn't even wearing one yet.  
  
"Oh I think Beka could throw one together... she's very handy. When not dizzy." she glanced at Beka who was slowly uprighting herself.  
  
"Hm.." He looked up thoughtfully, "Black's alright I guess.. since I look pretty unconventional in all other aspects I might as well remain conservative in my choice of clothing." He set the plate down, scratching at his wrists.  
  
"Black it is then." Enid said simply. "First thing tomorrow I'll sign our names in, then we'll have enough time to get the fittings done badda bing, badda boom then we head off."  
  
"Alright," He grinned, "I'll be looking forward to it.."  
  
[To be continued]


	5. Chapter 5

Incororating Life  
Epic Five  
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 5_  
  
Good month later, Saturday Night of the Prom...  
  
_The Hi Skool was spiffied up for the prom, and it was already pretty much 'happening' by the time Enid and Zib arrived. Enid was in some smooth 'n silky black dress which just had one strap while Zib was in a tuxedo. Both clothing made by Beka, so they didn't worry about them not fitting. Say the least Enid didn't look comfortable in a dress at all. Zib didn't look very comfortable either, fiddling with the magenta bow tie he had with his free hand, the other arm hooked around Enid's elbow. A few people looked surprised to see him, recognizing him maybe, but most paid no attention. He glanced around as they entered the actual epicenter of the prom, probably the gymnasium by day, looking somewhat nervous around all the humans.  
  
"Okay... heel toe, heel toe..." Enid muttered to herself, as she walked revealing she was wearing black high heels with her dress. "Stupid shoes." she grunted as she went.  
  
"Hey, at least you don't have to wear a noose.." He stopped playing with his tie, lest he tighten it anymore and cut off his circulation. Some music was already playing, some popular rock song or some such, "Maybe we should sit it out by the food table until we get use to these infernal outfits.."  
  
"Good thinking.." she muttered, soon enough the two were sat at a table. As they did, Enid took one shoe off and rubbed her aching feet. "I can't believe these were the only ones that went with the dress... I could kill a fashion designer." Zib leaned against a table, which was a bit too high for him, naturally, but he'd gotten accustomed to his midget-ness. His antennae perked as he detected some punch nearby, and managed to retrieve two styrofoam cups, ladling some punch in, and offered a glass to Enid.  
  
"Want some? It looks to be almost gone.." He set the ladle back into the nearly empty bowl.  
  
"Sure." she took the cup from him. "Good thing we made it on time, what with your time schedual getting longer." Enid said as she took a small sip of the drink.  
  
"Yeah.. oh well, at least it pays better." He took a sip, looking somewhat disgruntled, "Next they'll want me to work weekends.. hey." He smacked his lips a bit and glanced down at the glass, "Does this taste.. _funny_ to you?"  
  
"I dunno, does it?" she sipped again, and since she'd always taken big gulps ever since she was little, the cup was already empty. She licked her lips with her long tongue, looking thoughtful. "Hrmm.." He remembered Irkens didn't seem to have as an accute sense of taste as humans, or at least his half-human side, and shrugged it off.  
  
"Maybe it's just a strange flavour.." He took another sip, watching the students dance, not taking notice that some of them seemed a bit, well, drunk. Enid, due to the fact being 100% Irken, the alcholoic substance worked quicker through her system then Zib's and any other human in the room. She smiled suddenly, leaning on the table, resting her head on one of her hands.  
  
"Ohh... you worry too much..." she said, sounding somewhat slurred now.  
  
"I guess I should relax. It's been a while since I've been around so many adolecent.. thingees, though." He scowled at the room over the rim of his glasses, finishing his drink and taking a stretch, and he did indeed look a bit more relaxed, though that was probably the alchohol taking effect. His antennae perked as the pace of the song took on a slower tune, probably some mushy love song now, and he glanced over at En, debating internally about whether to ask her for a dance or not. Enid had now run her finger along the insides of the cup, then licked her finger then began sucking on it. Heck she must have liked the drink, or her drunkeness had hit high gear.  
  
"Mmm." she mumbled into her finger, then she raised her eyes to Zib and grinned at him, in dare say a sultry way. "Hey handsome, wanna dance?" she giggled slightly after asking, for no real reason. Zib blinked a bit at her display, and then again at her request,  
  
"Well.. sure." He grinned broadly and took her hand, wandering out into the dance floor. "I can't really dance, but.. who cares?"   
  
"Hah, seems most here can't anyway..." she said, slinging one arm around his shoulders and taking his hand with her other hand. "Not that I care." she grinned. Zib nearly.. giggled as he turned to face her, looking up at her as the music swung into full gear, and he smiled warmly, making a feeble attempt at leading the dance, but, well, he just wasn't the leader in this relatioship was he? Enid smiled broadly as she leant her head against his forehead, not really caring about some looks the two were getting. What with Zib's height and all... course some guys would think he's the luckiest there since he's close to Enid's so called 'chest'. Zib closed his eyes and snuggled his head against the convient pillows, seeming inordinately relaxed, sighing happily. He had a large grin on his face as they attempted to slow-dance, though intoxication mixed with lack of knowledge made it more like syncronized stumbling. Enid then began stroking his long antennae as they dance/stumbled on the dance floor, drawing it between her knuckles and just toying with one after the other really. Zib arched his shoulders, his grin becoming a bit goofier as he undeniably giggled this time, the hand that was suppose to be set on Enid's side during the psuedo-waltz wandering a bit.. ah.. lower.  
  
Feeling his hand wander lower brought a grin that was most similar to his spread over Enid's face, her hand still continuing it's slight manipulation of his antennae, now curling the end of it around her finger slowly. He shivered slightly, his intoxication making him too relaxed to do anything but kind of run his claws along her hip and lean against her. Enid then glanced around the room slightly, perking up as she saw a door which lead into the broom closet. She ran her tongue over her upper lip, then down at Zib. Then she grinned and actually picked him up and kissed him, and I must say it was more, uh, seductive then usual. Tongue included. Zib blinked lazily when he was picked up, opening his eyes slightly when he was given the tongue, before leaning into it. Dispite the fact he seemed relaxed, part of him was, ahem, not so much anymore. He was now actually being held up off the floor by one of Enid's arms, as she held the kiss with him entwining her segmented tongue with his - and she managed to make her way through the crowd of other humans and soon enough the two were out of sight of the other party goers. Zib didn't seem to notice, his mouth being somewhat occupied. He hooked one of his legs around her hip so long as he was being held up, needless to say bringing to light the fact he wasn't _completely_ a rag doll.  
  
The two, Enid obviously the one more in charge in this situation soon enough found themselves on the floor of the closet, Zib with his back to the floor. Instincts taking over and mixed in with the affect the drink had taken on both of them, you could already smell the hormones in the air as Enid, now somewhat sucking on Zib's bottom lip, began to pull the black slacks he wore down with a free hand. Zib sure as heck wasn't resisting, heck, he'd managed to slide the single strap of Enid's dress down over her shoulder, before rummaging around in her wig-hair to find her antennae, fiddling with the end with it and probably only encouraging her. Feeling him now fiddling with her antennae, her free hand which wasn't now pulling her dress up to her waist, paused from doing that to pull her wig off to free her long antennae. She then turned the sucky-lip thing into another full blown kiss again as her hands went up and began caressing both his antennae now.  
  
Zib made a low, muffled groany sound, his glasses being pushed askew by the forceful kiss, he ran his fingers up and down the length of the antennae closest to his hand, while his other arm wrapped around her lower waist and tried to pull her closer. Enid leaned into him, and possibly _onto_ him who could tell with the loose dress down around that area?  
  
_Yet meanwhile…_  
  
But right now, is a good time to leave these drunken duo alone as there is something just as important happening above, up in the Voot Cruiser. Since it's now their sleeping pan, the Voot Cruiser is now on Auto Pilot. Zim is asleep at the controls, and Cten and Poe are asleep as well. Cten still has the egg, obviously a slow hatcher still in her arms being warmed by Poe's black jacket. The egg started to twitch in Cten's arms, wriggling faintly, possibly enough to wake her up. Poe's antennae twitched in his sleep, and he opened one eye slowly, staring down at the egg blankly.  
  
The sudden movement in her arms, Cten's eyes opened quickly and she looked down at it. She smiled slightly, turning the egg over some what. A crack appeared in the egg, followed by a small hand pushing away a piece of the shell. It started to rock back and forth a bit harder, apparantly impatient to get out. Cten sat up now, the egg nestled in her lap. She then stuck one of her claws into the small hole and managed to break away some of the shell to at least help a little.  
  
The tiny hand grabbed onto the assisting claw, holding onto it with all the strength it could muster, before a leg managed to  break out of a lower section of the shell. The cracks in the egg compromised its structure, and soon a big chunk of shell fell away, and the tiny little smeet rolled out, covered in egg goop. Poe glanced away, staring out the window. Cten bit her lower lip in anticipation as she felt the tiny hand grab onto her claw, and as soon as the smeet had rolled out she moved the remaining shell pieces aside now holding the smeet in her hands.  
  
"Hi there…" she said quietly holding the smeet up, "I'm your Mommy…" this was the first time Cten had actually witnessed an egg hatch, let alone her own so she was obviously moved even though she didn't note Poe's… lack of attention. The smeet looked up at her, blinking open his eyes to reveal them to be a bright orange. He tilted his head to the side, antennae slowly uncurling from the sides of his head, pulling away from the goop. Poe glanced back over at the hatchling, his upper lip twitching. She smiled brightly at her new smeet, then stroked one of his antennae with her finger gently.  
  
"My little smeet..." she said gently. And yes, all while this happened Zim kept fast asleep. The smeet closed his eyes happily and leaned into the stroking, practically purring. He opened his eyes agan and looked over at the larger, dark-eyed Irken, who narrowed his eyes slightly, almost unconciously. The smeet lowered his antennae and clung to his Mom. Seeing this, Cten looked over at Poe with a surprised look. She held the smeet closer to her, Mother-instincts kicking in as she protected him, if you would call it that.  
  
"Poe..." she said quietly yet almost warningly.  
  
"What?" He blinked down at her, the expression gone, seeming genuinely unaware of the animosity he was displaying towards the hatchling. The smeet buried his face in his Mother's neck, peering up at Poe warily with one big orange eye.  
  
"You... nevermind." she stroked the smeet's back, calming him down. "Shh, it's all right.." she said quietly to the hatchling, "I'm here." Poe glanced over at the pilot seat, reaching up and shaking it to wake up Zim.  
  
"How far is it from Earth, Zim?" He asked, almost impatiently. The hatchling closed his eyes and curled up against Cten, his antennae drooping sleepily. Zim snorted awake, then rubbed his eyes then yawned widely.  
  
"Uhh… a good… hm, three months Poe…" Zim rubbed his eyes. Cten put Poe's jacket onto the ground, pulling out from her pak some kind of blanket and wrapped the smeet up in it then continued to cradle him. Poe muttered under his breath and leaned back against the wall, retrieving his jacket and folding his arms. The smeet allowed himself to be wrapped up, tiny claws holding onto the blanket and staring up at Cten, and opened his mouth to make a quiet,  
  
"Maaaah?" sound. Cten's antennae perked, and she nuzzled his head gently with her cheek.  
  
"Yes honey... I'm Mah. And you are..." she looked him over for a minute, then smiled. "You're my Vist." Zim could sense the hostility from Poe, but at this point in time decided to keep quiet and try to fall asleep again. Vist seemed happy to be named, giggling and showing off that he, too, had somewhat pointy teeth. Poe sighed to himself and rested his chin in his palms, suddenly missing Enid, obviously not having any idea just what his dear innocent little girl was _doing_ at that moment.  
  
"My what sharp teeth you have..." Cten smiled at Vist, stroking his antennae. She then began to rock him and hum a soft tune, which soon enough put even Zim to sleep. Poor driver. Poe bristled when he heard that, unconsciously rubbing the scarring on his arm that the source of those pointy teeth had left on him. Vist closed his eyes and purred faintly, soon asleep as well. His Mother though kept awake, turning her gaze towards her mate who was still looking outside the window. She looked saddened by the fact he hadn't said anything but ask how soon they'd get back to Earth, so she reached out and touched his shoulder gently.  
  
"Poe?" He flinched slightly when she touched him, having been lost in thought as he glared out the window. He looked over at her,  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Tell me what's bothering you." she said simply, getting to the point.  
  
"Nothing… just sick of being in this cramped ship." He said. Well, that's what he thought the problem was, at least.  
  
"No, I sense hostility. Is it because I've given birth to another Irken's child, and your instincts is to rip his throat out?" being a Maid, Cten had been gathered with the Tallest when they'd discuss matters with Irken Scientists, and so forth. So she wasn't completely 'dumb' in that area. He blinked slightly when she hit the nail on the head, something even he hadn't been able to do, and looked somewhat defensive.  
  
"Why would I have instincts to do that?"  
  
"It's your nature of being a male with a mate." she said simply, rocking Vist who was starting to stir. Poe twitched slightly, curling and uncurling his claws.  
  
"Maybe," he muttered, turning his glare down at the floor.  
  
"That's why, I know you'll have a problem with Vist from now on." she said gently, stroking her new son's antennae gently. "But please don't block him out entierly, for my sake." Poe took a deep breath.  
  
"I'll control myself… that's all I can promise."  
  
"…thank you." Cten then looked down at Vist. "Would you at least hold him, only once at all?" Poe looked down at the smeet.  
  
"Not right now." He said quietly. "I don't trust myself…" After he said that, Cten instinctivly held Vist closer without really even noticing.  
  
"Oh... fine..."  
  
"Maybe later." He lifted his head to look over at her, then away, "Sorry."  
  
"No problem." she said quietly, before turning over slightly and closing her eyes. Poe sighed and hung his head when she turned away, cursing himself under his breath and already feeling a gap between them.  
  
_Meanwhile, back on Earth and a few hours later…_  
  
The sun began shining over the big town which Zib and Enid lived. The gym was empty and deserted, yet clean since the cleaners came in after the party. Into the broom closet we go and there still laid togther in a crumpled heap of clothes and body is Zim and Enid. And still locked together too, if you know what I mean. Zib started to stir, yawning quietly, quite comfortable with his, er, organic blanket, blinking his eyes open. They widened when he felt bare flesh against bare flesh, among other things, and he quickly pulled his arm away from Enid, groping around for his glasses.  
  
"Oh slark, did we…" Enid made a groany noise at the movements underneath her, and her eyes slowly opened, seeing the body of Zib underneath her and feeling him against her, and more so. Her antennae stood on end as she sat up quickly, looking too shocked to say anything right now. He finally found his glasses, placing them on his face and seeing the full extent of the damage.  
  
"Great…" he mumbled, his hangover starting to kick in. He groaned and dropped his head back down, holding his claws to his head, "We are so dead if Beka finds out…" Enid pulled herself off of him, pulling her black dress up over herself.  
  
"…did we do what I think… we did…?" she mumbled more to herself, with a massive headache one does not wish to speak loudly.  
  
"I'd say so…" he murmured, looking down at his pants-covered ankles and blushing. He sat up weakly, rubbing his neck - which would, in better light, reveal the rather large bite-mark-dash-hickey on it.   
  
"Oh _slark_!" Enid screeched, pulling on her dress quickly. "This... this is awful...!!" Zib winced at the shriek, his antennae drooping,  
  
"Not so loud…" he mumbled to himself, pulling on his slacks and boxers and his black overcoat, blinking at a few claw marks torn in the sleeves. "Good grief, En…"  
  
"…I did that?" she squeaked, very much surprised at what her drunken self was capable of. True, ripping of sleeves is nothing compaired to what they did but still.  
  
"Oh well… She'll find out one way or another.." He picked up his bow tie and draped the ribbon around his neck, too weary to try and tie it up.  
  
"Yeah I mean… being out all night and returning home with ripped clothing… even Gir'd figure it out." Enid ran her hand over her face, making a sobbing sound. "Slark, if Daddy could see me now…" Zib frowned and managed to sit up fully, scooting over to her and wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"Hey, it's alright." He nuzzled her cheek, "We didn't know the punch was spiked…"  
  
"I know I know…" she whimpered slightly, leaning against him as her antennae drooped sadly. Zib stroked her antennea and cradled her head, the act having triggered his 'mate' instincts and making him more protective of her.  
  
"I'm… um… sure he'd understand," he said, trying to comfort her but knowing what he said was ridiculous. Heck, if Poe was here right now he'd probably be a dead… er, hybrid.  
  
"Oh come _on_ Zib, you know how Daddy is, uh, was ahh… oh whatever! If he did know and he was here, we'd be in so much trouble right now, even Mom couldn't control him!"  
  
"Well… he isn't." He hugged her shoulders, then looked upwards and sighed, "Can't imagine my Mom'd be too happy with me either…" Enid just hugged him back, burrying her face in his shoulder and holding onto him.  
  
"I don't think it's how people react we should really be worrying about…" He said quietly, squeezing her and looking downwards.  
  
"What…?" she asked quietly, still foggy in the head and not knowing what he meant. He couldn't bring himself to say it, so he ran a claw down her side and tapped her stomach, looking at her helplessly. Her eyes widened, realising what he meant.  
  
"…oh no…"  
  
"There's no point worrying about it right now." He held her head to his shoulder and stared at the door, "It's far too early to tell anything…"  
  
"…I want to go home now." Enid said quietly. Zib nodded and stood up slowly, helping her up and handing her her wig. He peeked out through the slots in the door, seeing it abandoned, he opened it.  
  
"That's if we're not locked in…"  
  
"Then we'll break a window and get out." Enid mumbled, pulling her wig over her antennae. Luckily the wig wasn't tossled. Zib winced at the suggestion, but nodded anyway, holding her around the waist and leading her out of the room. They made their way across the gym, with some difficulty since it was all slippery and shiney, but they managed. They eventually came to the front doors of the skool, which were locked and chained, something Zib easily remedied with the laser-tip of one of his pod legs. The two eventually arrived home, luckily Beka was asleep and by the looks of her antennae bobby thing she'd had a rough night too. Enid stepped over the robot, pulling her wig off her antennae. He did likewise, relaxing slightly when they got home and pulling out his contacts.  
  
"Now I guess…" He looked over at her, "We just wait…"  
  
"No, now we continue our lives as if nothing happened." Enid replied simply.  
  
"Nothing?" He blinked, looking a bit hurt.  
  
"…okay, we made love. It happened." she ran a hand over one of her antennae slowly. "I… I still can't beleive it happened, that's all."  
  
"Neither can I…" He sighed slightly, muttering, "I can't even _remember_ it…"  
  
"I remember a bit." she blushed deeply, sitting down on the sofa. "…lots of moaning from your part." He turned somewhat red himself, scratching his neck,  
  
"Last thing I remember is you picking me up on the dance floor and taking me to that closet…"  
  
"Egh, hormone hungry me." she muttered, hanging her head.  
  
"Well, hey," he put his hand on her arm, "Circumstances and reprocussions aside… I can't say I minded it." He grinned slightly. She blinked, smiled slightly up at him.  
  
"Yeah… we should do it while sober some time…"  
  
"Oh, definately," He grinned a bit more broadly, arching his eyebrows at her and trying to make light of the situation. Enid giggled slightly, then kissed him on the mouth quickly.  
  
"I love you Zib." That really made him grin, and he returned the quick kiss,  
  
"I love you too, En." He reached down and took her hands in his, "And I'll stay with you… no matter what happens."   
  
"That means a lot to me Zib… thank you." she leant against him and shut her eyes, feeling suddenly very tired. What with having such a busy night and all, and sleeping on top of Zib was not really comfy, sure it was kinda but still. He smiled and held her against him, closing his eyes as well, still somewhat ill from his hangover.  
  
[To be continued]


	6. Chapter 6

Incororating Life  
Epic Five  
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 6  
  
_Three to four months later…_  
  
Zib had become increasingly protective and mushy around Enid, and the two had managed to keep their dirty deed a secret for a while; that is, until Enid started getting morning sickness. Beka'd nearly busted a circuit at them, but had let them live, so far. Gir, meanwhile, had become increasingly distant; he'd taken to sitting out in the lawn and staring up at the sky, almost like he was waiting for something; like a dog waiting for his master to return home. One night he was doing this, staring up at the stars, and slowly started wagging his tail when one of the stars in the sky started moving, getting larger. The star began shining brightly as it came closer, and closer. The light seemed to ligthen up the entire neighbourhood, then the sound of it was heard. A soft sound of an engine...  
  
"Yay! Master!" Gir got up and started dancing on the lawn. Zib, meanwhile, was in the kitchen, probably making a feeble attempt to cook a meal for Enid before she ate the neighbors… pregnancy cravings for someone who had a carnivorous heritage could be dangerous, then he heard the noise.  
  
"What the…" He looked out the window at the sky. Up in the Cruiser, Poe seemed to be happy for the first time in months, pressed up against the window and staring down at the enlarging ground  
  
"Never thought I'd see this place again…" Zim kept a quiet but determined look on his face as he piloted the Cruiser as the ground grew closer and closer. He turned down the lights, so they were now dim. Cten was sat up looking outside the other window, pointing at things while telling Vist where they were. And in that few months Vist had grown a little bit, but was still small either way and now had a pak on his back.  
  
"Finally!" Zim declared as the Cruiser landed on the front lawn of the base, quickly opening up the lid and stepping out dramatically. "Earth is mine once more!" he called out, hands on his hips and started laughing somewhat evilly until,  
  
"MASTER!" Gir leaped onto Zim's head as soon as the Irken jumped out of the cruiser, "I MISSDED YOUUU!" He glomped onto Zim's head with his affectionate death grip, tongue sticking out. Zib stared wide-eyed out the window, dropping the spoon he was using to stir with into the stew.  
  
"DYAH!! GIR! Get off get off get…" Zim stopped flailing his arms around and stood there for a while, before hugging GIR's legs. "I missed you too Gir!!" he yelled happily. Cten stood up, and hopped out the Cruiser,  
  
"And that Vist, is your home!" she declared, pointing to the base.  
  
"You gots funny clothes, Master!" Gir leaned back, picking up one of the straps of Zim's new tanktop and looking at it. Vist looked up at the base,  
  
"You said it was orange, Mom…" He looked confused. Zib and Enid had, infact, redecorated to make it looka bit more normal since it was, in all honesty, no longer an Irken base. Poe stepped out lastly, stretching out his legs and looking around. He seemed happier, but still distant. Meanwhile, in the house,  
  
"ENID!" Zib nearly screamed, running upstairs to the bedroom where she had been napping. Enid groaned, sitting up in bed as Zib entered the room.  
  
"What is it?" she asked, her stomach obviously showing now. Seems since Zib was half human, his… er, semen were taking longer to form the body of the child even within the egg so this shall be a painful birth indeed. Zib hugged her happily, though he was careful of her stomach,  
  
"Look out the window!" Cten blinked, looking slightly confused.  
  
"It… was orange… oh well." she shrugged slightly, then grinned. "Enid must have done that." Zim set Gir down on the ground, patting his new shirt.  
  
"Yes Gir, this is my… uh, new official shirt of the Invader. Spiffy, yes?"  
  
"Neat-ooooooooo!" Gir agreed, "Mizz See-Ten's got one too?!" He leapt off of Zim and attached himself to the former maid, before noticing Vist over Cten's shoulder, "Who's that?!?" He screamed, happily though, just bursting with Gir-like excitement. Zib seemed a bit puzzled by the new uniforms and hatchling as well, making them out from the bed room window. Enid got off the bed slowly and went to the window, her eyes widening as she saw the group.  
  
"…oh my God." she muttered.  
  
"Gir, this is Vist. Vist, this is Gir, the little robot I told you about." Cten patted Gir on the head, making the robot's tail wag happily. At that time, the houses door opened and Beka stood there, looking agape.  
  
"MISTRESS!" she squealed happily, and ran up to Cten and hugged her around the waist. "Oh Mistress you're back! I missed you ever so much and always knew you'd come back!"  
  
"...and this is Beka." Cten added.  
  
"Let's go down--er, wait." Zib frowned down at her stomach, "Maybe you should stay behind me…" He said quietly, then took her hand, leading her down the stairs. Poe stared at the house, looking somewhat sad,  
  
"Where's Enid?" he wondered, then flattened his antennae and narrowed his eyes, "Or Zib, for that matter…"  
  
"Ah yes Zib…" Zim started up the walk way as Cten was explaining to Beka who Vist was. "I'm sure he's done lots of things!" just as Zim reached for the door knob, Zib opened it from the other side of the door, Enid stood behind him and trying to cover her stomach with her jacket as best she could - already imagining the noise her Father would make.  
  
"Uh… Hi, Mom," Zib grinned down at Zim, looking taller and grown up somehow, probably something to do with the clean-cut lab coat he was still wearing, having not bothered to remove it yet. Poe glared over at the two, looking pretty bad… He had a collection of new scars, afterall, not to mention was still caked with blood. "Um… what's with the Reject uniforms?" Zib wondered, trying to get their minds off of the fact Enid was staying close behind him, "…and the hatchling?"  
  
"Zib, Enid," Cten walked up to them, Vist still in her arms and Beka sticking close to her now. "This is Vist, he's my little smeet." she smiled slightly, then to Vist as she pointed to Enid. "That's your big sister there."  
  
"Yes yes, we had been through many adventures while back on Irk and they did the foolish thing of dubbing myself and Cten as Rejects. But now we're back on planet Earth, we shall ignore those name tag thingies!" Zim declared, then glanced back at Enid. "What's so interesting back there?" Zib quickly moved to try and conceal Zim's view,  
  
"N-nothing!" he said quickly, pulling on his collar, backing up into Enid. Poe looked over at them, making a low, faintly growling noise in the back of his throat, while Vist waved at his sister. Enid's eye lowered, then shut.  
  
"I can't do this." she muttered quietly, more to Zib then herself. Then she stepped out from behind him, her arms by her side but she just looked at the ground. Cten's eyes widened.  
  
"…oh my Tallest…" she said. Zim looked lost at what to say, but decided to side-step since he had been between the two and Poe. Zib nodded in resignation and drummed his fingers together, trying to somehow disappear into the ground.  
  
"That… was the last… thing… I needed to come home to…" Poe snarled slowly, looking rather dangerous as he advanced toward Zib.  
  
"Daddy, Daddy please." Enid walked foward to meet him, holding her hands up. "It didn't happen on purpose please understand!" Cten still looked shocked, then Zim narrowed an eye.  
  
"I can't leave you for almost a year can I?" he chided to Zib, glaring at him.  
  
"…not on _purpose_?" Those words did absolutely nothing to ease Poe, as his brain translated them into 'without consent', "First my mate… now my _daughter_…" He bared his teeth and tried to push past Enid, and if looks could kill Zib would be dead and rotting.  
  
"I'll explain later, Mom…" he muttered to Zim, backing up into the doorway and looking quite scared.  
  
"No, _no_." Enid seemed to know what he was thinking, grabbing onto his arms, "Listen to me! Some stupid human spiked the drinks at the prom we went to and we ended up doing this! If I could I'd take it back I really would! Please don't hurt him, he said he'd stay with me no matter what!" fearing for Zib's life Enid was now crying as she said this. She knew her Father now would probably not want her to have anything to do with Zib, if he let him live that is. Poe turned his glare down to Enid, something he'd probably never done before. Something didn't look quite right in his eyes, like something in him had snapped a while back and was only brought to light again,  
  
"Let me _go_, Enid," he growled lowly. Zib realized the kitchen wouldn't help him, so he scooted out the door and tried to hide among the Irken and robot spectators, thinking Poe'd be more reluctant to go through them. Enid looked taken back by Poe's glare, since it was true he'd never done that to her. She now looks quite scared now, and talks quietly.  
  
"But we love each other..." her voice wasn't the same brassy tone as it had always been, now it shook slightly, her grip on his arms loosening since now is the first time she's really feared her Father. Zim glances at Zib as he moves, then keeps his eyes locked back on Poe, something telling him somethings about to happen. That was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back, and Poe let out an in..Irken snarl, twisting out of Enid's hands and grabbing onto her wrists, looking down at her like a wild animal ready to attack. Zib blinked in shock, never having thought Enid was actually in danger from her Father, but his mind quickly switched gears.  
  
"HEY! Leave her alone!" He shouted, and Poe turned his head slowly to look at Zib, his lip twitching, dismissed him and looked back down at the nearest target, Enid and grabbed het sides, and given her current condition that wasn't the best thing to do. Zib growled and clenched his fists, his pod legs unfurling, "LET HER GO!" Suddenly, Poe was jerked away from Enid, restrained by two of Zib's pod legs around his torso, causing him to thrash and slather like some… insane thing. Zim, seeing his spawn in such strife couldn't help but not intervene now. His pod legs shot out, and Poe was soon held down by four of the mechanical pod legs, gripping onto Poe by the antennae as if trying to 'steer' him.  
  
Cten grabbed Vist up, who had been on the ground and hurried over to Enid, who was just in shock to do anything else. She took her daughter by the arm and quickly got her away from the three. Gir just stared for a while, not sure waht to do, even if he _could_ do anything. Vist, who'd been watching the whole ordeal in shock, clung onto his Mother, though he kept his eyes on the flailing Reject. Poe was making awful sounds that didn't sound like they could come from the throat of any Irken, kicking and jerking around, reopening a few of his old wounds in the process and biting at the nearest leg, actually denting it with his teeth. Zib winced, even with the combined force of 4 cybernetic limbs Poe was difficult to restrain, and one of the flailing, booted legs managed to knock Zim in the head.  
  
Seeing his master in danger, Gir's eyes flashed red beneath the costume, and a gun unfolded from his head. There was a bang, and Poe jerked, then suddenly slumped limply in the mechanical arms, a needle sticking out of his shoulder. After a few short moments of silence, Zim stared at Gir who still had the gun suspended in his head, the robot's eyes slowing fading to blue underneath the costume.  
  
"..._excellent work Gir_!" Zim cried out, hopping off of Poe, the large Irken slumping to the ground.  
  
"I did good!" Gir declared, clapping his black paws together. Poe just laid there, eyes closed, drooling on the ground. Zib panted slightly, sensing the danger was past he slowly removed the pod legs from Poe, rubbing his shoulder which'd gotten sore from the stress on his pod and pod legs.  
  
"What the hell…" Zib wheezed, "Is with him?" He looked down at the tallish Irken, "Enid's the last person he'd ever turn on…" Speaking of which, he looked around for where Cten had taken the group. Beka was at the door, looking out at the group.  
  
"We have to get him restrained somewhere before he awakens." she said, hopping out towards the two, her head opening up and some cables shooting out, wrapping around Poe's legs. Zim observed Poe slightly, then lifted up his arm revealing the bite marks.  
  
"Well, seeing from his attack with that Snab scum, I'd say he's been infected with some kind of rabies disease." he said, before Beka began dragging the snoozing Poe away.   
  
"He's the last Irken that needs to get rabies…" Zib muttered, somewhat disturbed himself since he always had been kind of fearful of Poe. He stood up straight and rubbed the back of his head, then ran towards Enid and the others and asked, though it was mostly directed at Enid, "Are you alright?"  
  
"She isn't." Cten answered for her, since Enid was now crying and possibly not because of what just happened.  
  
"It… it hurts…" she whimpered, leaning against Cten and holding her stomach in pain.  
  
"Either she's been forced into early delivery because of Poe, or it really is time." Cten said, running her hand over Enid's antennae trying to calm her  down. Gir was now being useful, and going off after Beka to help out with Poe. Zim walked up to the group, eyeing Enid.  
  
"U-oh, not again." he muttered.  
  
"It's whah?!" Zib suddenly looked panicked, and he reached out to take Enid's hands, not really sure what else to do. Vist looked totally lost, among all these strangers, much less knowing what was going on. Enid just sobbed as she held onto her stomach, grasping onto Zib's hand with one of hers.  
  
"Zim, go check on how Gir and Beka's doing with Poe. Vist honey," she picked Vist up into her lap, "Your sister's just going to lay her egg and I know how hard this must be for you, but don't be scared okay?" Enid then screamed, ah the joys of birth eh? Cten, with her free hand pulled down Enid's black pants, "Just push honey, I know it hurts." Zim nodded and ran to assist the SIRs. Gir had gotten distracted by the shinies on Poe's antennae, and the sedative was starting to wear off, having been a dosage for a smaller Irken. Zim looked somewhat panicked,  
  
"Um… Gir, get some of the… wire thingees off of the ceiling!" Vist nodded, staring over at the screaming female and folding his antennae back, wincing at the sound. Zib suddenly looked very guilty and put an arm around Enid's shoulders, trying to comfort her desperately. Enid just gripped Zib by the hand as she cried, pushing was definetely hard since she had pains in both her sides now due to Poe's grabbing onto her. Gir salluted Zim, and leapt up, grabbing the wires from above and pulling them down and Beka took them from him, and began wrapping Poe around with them, before sedating him again with her own gun needle thingie.  
  
"We gonna keep him in a cage Master?" Gir asked Zim, "Like the zoo??"  
  
"With how he's acting that might not be a bad idea," Zim muttered, looking around at the disabled base. "Standard Invader bases usually come with at least one restraining room.. you know, for interrogations and thingees!" Zib winced as his hand was nearly crushed, but made no complaints, glancing, erm, downwards before quickly turning away. Enid panted, clenching her teeth as she pushed with as mugh might as she had right now. Cten checked,  
  
"Okay honey, it's coming just keep pushing, I know it's hard to just keep at it."  
  
"Ugh..." Enid muttered, leaning her head back as she pushed more. Beka blinked, realising Cten was back the base now wouldn't blow up, so she hit the 'reactivation' button. Soon the base lit up, base wise.  
  
"Computer! Take this Reject to the restraining room quickly!" she called out. The floor below Poe suddenly shifted, and it sunk out of sight. Zib concentrated on holding Enid's head up with his elbow, kneeling on the ground beside her. Vist looked pretty grossed out himself, sticking out his tongue and making a sickeningly cute face, and chose that time to start squirming in Cten's arms. Cten glanced at him, but still held onto him since it was, to say the least, not a clean floor anymore. Vist huffed and gave up the fight. Enid snarled viciously, and cried out in reliefe as the egg _finally_ passed. Her antennae hung heavily over the back of her head, panting and wheezing.  
  
"I… now have a... big respect for... you Mom..." she gasped between deep breaths. Zib blinked his eyes open, looking down at the egg and adjusting his glasses, then smiled despite himself, hugging Enid warmly. Zim was meanwhile returning to the house level after making sure Poe was, er, safe and secure, marching over to the group and pausing mid-step, making a slight face.  
  
"So… I'm a grandmother now?"  
  
"Yup, we both are!" Cten grinned at him, then couldn't help but laugh slightly at the idea of Zim being called 'Grandma' by anything. Enid leant her head against Zib's, closing her eyes sleepily.  
  
"What great... timing..." she panted.  
  
"And you're an uncle, Vist!" Cten held Vist up in front of her, "And you're not even a year old!" Zib held onto her and stroked her cheek, reaching down for the egg and handing it to her carefully.  
  
"Uncle?" He frowned. "What's an uncle??" Zim put on a disgusted look at the displays of affection, but he couldn't help but smile a bit.  
  
"An uncle means, your big sisters now had a baby. So, you're now it's uncle." Cten smiled, resting him back on her lap. Enid smiled slightly, taking the egg from Zib and stroked it's surface, then looked up at Zim with a worried look.  
  
"What, what happened to Daddy?" she asked.  
  
"Poe is… eh…" Zim glanced towards the place where Poe had been, "He was… involved in a scuffle with another Reject who was probably carrying some form of rabid illness. I guess he'd been keeping it under control, but… snapped." Zib looked around at the adults, then over to Vist,  
  
"And… just where did he come from?"  
  
"He… he came from the other Reject who gave Poe the illness." Cten replied, stroking Vist's antennae soothingly. "Not my choice, but he's my son and I will look after him." she added. Enid stared at Vist, then at Cten.  
  
"Oh Mom, I'm so sorry…" she said, Cten smiled.  
  
"Oh it's okay… I'm back home again."  
  
"I guess we've all had a rough time…" Zib sighed, then yelped as Zim suddenly yanked his hair-scythe,  
  
"And it'll be getting much rougher for you if you don't start explaining yourself!"  
  
"Ow! Alright, alright…" Zib muttered and rubbed his hair, "For starters, your base exploded…"  
  
"It what?!" Zim screeched,  
  
"It did it by choice!" Enid said quickly, "It.. did it to protect your Irken technology… after that we moved in here." she looked down at the egg, closing her eyes. "It wasn't our choice to have an egg at all…"  
  
"No… I'm getting to that!" Zib recoiled from a threatening looking Zim, "Well, I had to drop out of skool… I got a job so I could power the base with… you know, normal electricity, since Poe and Cten's base had been disabled. That's why I'm in this…" He lifted up the corner of his lab coat, while Zim blinked, looking a bit… impressed(?) at Zib's responsibility. "After some time, there was this prom at skool…"  
  
"We didn't plan to drink anything wrong… but someone spiked the drinks there and well…" Enid looked at her Mother sadly, "We… we mated while under the influence of the human substance…" Cten nodded slowly,  
  
"Still, besides that you two have done very well, I guess…" she said, glancing over at Zim.  
  
"Ehm… yes, yes, I suppose so." Zim waved his hand, and Zib smiled a bit, that was all the approval anyone could drag out of Zim.  
  
"Oh… there was a… conflict… with Dad…" Zib scowled slightly at the memory. "But we're on speaking terms now-hey, think he'd want to know about this?" He didn't see Dib that often, and hadn't even told him Enid had been pregnant.  
  
"Well seeing he's a Grandfather technically…" Cten shrugged,  
  
"If he does want to have a _small_ role in the child's rearing so be it." Zim snuffed, folding his arms.  
  
"No, Dad said he thought he was too young to be an… slark." Zib paled somewhat, his antennae drooping, "If _he's_ too young…"  
  
"Yes Zib, you are… young to be a Father." Zim eyed the egg, "But! You have to stand to your responsibilities, mistake or not. Dib just doesn't realise that." Zib nodded slowly, resting his hand over Enid's claws that were on the egg. He examined the speckled sphere, tilting his head,  
  
"I wonder why it's so big though…"  
  
"I believe, since Zib is half human and what with human babies being born so big maybe the child's adapted that kind of physical state?" Zim asked, leaning over and tapping the shell with a finger. Enid frowned slightly, pulling the egg closer to her.  
  
"That… or…" He winced at the idea, but looked over at Enid, "Enid, think you could hold it up into the light for a second?"  
  
"Why…?" she asked, somewhat suspciously.  
  
"It should silloute the contents of the egg…" He glanced down at it. Enid frowned at him, but sat up slowly and lifted the egg up in her hands, holding it to the light of the main one in the ceiling for Zib to see. Cten glanced at Zib, then at Zim with a puzzled look. Zib, having seen plenty of eggs during his biology studies, seemed to pale again.  
  
"Oh, great…" There was not one, but two faint black elipses in the egg, leaning away from each other.  
  
"What is it?" Enid sounded worried, resting the egg back in her grasp again. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
"There's… uh…" He gulped, "…there's two in there."  
  
"Two?" echoed both Zim and Cten at the same time.  
  
"…is that even possible?!" Zim looked to Cten, hoping she being female knew of such matters. Cten looked lost, then shrugged.  
  
"I… have no idea." she replied.  
  
"They might be the Irken equivillent of identical twins, which might be a human phenomenon.." Zib pondered, tapping his chin.  
  
"Great…" Enid muttered, then sighed. "Two it is then."  
  
"Two…" Cten shook her head. Enid back when she was a smeet was enough trouble, but two?  
  
"We can handle it," Zib tried to sound optimistic, squeezing Enid's hand, "We've survived through all of this, should be no problem, huh?"  
  
"…yeah I hope so…" Enid said, squeezing Zib's hand back.  
  
"Well, just so you know I'll be happy to help out. So don't worry." Cten said, Vist now slowly falling asleep in her arms.  
  
"I think you'll have your hands full, Ms. Cten…" Zib glanced at Vist, "Not just with Vist either…" He winced when a muffled, angry animalistic sound rose from below, signalling Poe's sedative had worn off.  
  
"I know." Cten's antennae lowered sadly, "Grandchildren on the way, new smeet and now my mate's gone insane. Wouldn't you love to be me right now?" she asked somewhat sarcatically, but it still showed it hurt.  
  
"Well… let's just hope this disease isn't anything like Earth rabies…" Zib said quietly.  
  
"Last thing I need." Cten muttered sadly. Enid leant against her Mom, her antennae brushing against hers slightly.  
  
"It'll be okay Mom, we'll try and fix things. I will at least." she said.  
  
"I know you're probably not too happy about what I did with Enid…" Zib started, looking over at Cten, "But I'll try to be a good… uh… son-in-law." He grinned warily.  
  
"It's all right Zib, I've known you since you were little. And I trust you'll do fine, and look after her as best you can." she smiled slightly, "I'm still very shocked, but proud at how you two have handled so well." Zib grinned a bit more broadly at the approval, and Zim coughed from behind them.  
  
"Now that all that mushy stuff is over with… there's an issue for us to face!" He made a squeeky-clenchy-fist, "Just where is everyone going to live now?!"  
  
"Zim, in the Cruiser there must be a base maker in the glove box." Cten replied, "You can get a new base for yourself and Gir. I'll stay here, but it's up to Zib and Enid if both of them live seperately or together." Zib looked over to Enid,  
  
"Well, I think Enid and I have shown we can handle a household by ourselves…"  
  
"So, you want a base by yourselves?" Cten asked.  
  
"Well… I would… but… it's up to you, En." Zib said, and Zim muttered and rolled his eyes about how the son of an Invader should be more authorative or whatnot. Enid blinked, then glanced from Zim to her Mom, then Zib.  
  
"Well… Mom would have her hands full with Vist and with Daddy and I don't want to cause any problems so… I guess… yeah." she nodded slightly. "I'd like that."  
  
"I guess that settles it then." Zib looked awful happy, leaning over and nuzzling Enid's cheek dispite the fact both their Mothers were right there. "Hm… Where though…"  
  
"Totally up to you two." Cten said, standing up with the sleeping Vist clinging to her shoulder.  
  
[The End]


End file.
